NafisaRangers have been accused of benefiting from a controversial refereeing decision after footage emerged of Aberdeen’s unsuccessful penalty appeal during Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.
Derek McInnes’ side eventually secured a 1-0 victory thanks to Ryan Naderi’s dramatic 83rd-minute winner, booking their place in the December final. However, the result has been overshadowed by an incident involving Rangers defender Dujon Sterling, with Aberdeen players and supporters convinced they should have been awarded a penalty.
The controversy has gained further attention after clips circulated on social media, with Celtic supporters also joining the discussion and questioning why referee Ryan Lee and VAR official John Beaton did not intervene.
For Stephen Robinson’s Aberdeen, the decision was particularly frustrating because it came during a tightly contested match in which clear-cut opportunities were difficult to create.
Leaked Footage Shows Aberdeen’s Penalty Appeal Against Dujon Sterling
The incident occurred when Aberdeen attacked the Rangers penalty area and attempted to threaten Ivor Pandur’s goal.
Sterling failed to make contact with a header, and the ball subsequently struck his forearm inside the box.
Aberdeen players immediately appealed for a penalty, believing the contact should have resulted in a spot-kick. However, referee Ryan Lee was not convinced, allowing play to continue.
VAR official John Beaton also declined to recommend an on-field review, meaning Rangers escaped without conceding a penalty.
The decision has attracted considerable criticism, particularly from former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart, who questioned why the officials did not award Aberdeen a spot-kick.
Stewart highlighted the fact that Sterling had failed to make contact with the ball using his head before it struck his arm, arguing that similar incidents have resulted in penalties.
The footage has since become central to the post-match debate, with Aberdeen supporters questioning how the officials interpreted the incident.
Celtic Fans Highlight Controversial Decision as ‘How Odd?’ Clip Emerges
The controversy received another boost when Celtic fan account The Parkhead Faithful, posting as @TheParkheadF, shared footage of the Aberdeen penalty appeal.
The account captioned the clip:
“How odd? 👀”
The post appeared to draw attention to the decision involving Sterling, encouraging supporters to question why Aberdeen were denied a penalty despite the apparent contact with the defender’s arm.
Interestingly, the discussion also involved a separate Rangers penalty appeal from earlier in the match.
Rangers had appealed for a spot-kick after Aberdeen’s Ayoub Mouloua appeared to handle the ball following a knockdown from Emmanuel Fernandez. Referee Lee and VAR also rejected that claim.
Rangers-supporting account @TrongateTramps shared footage of the incident with the caption:
“This is usually a penalty. How odd.”
The two incidents have since been compared by supporters, with one social media response describing them as “exactly identical”.
However, the main frustration among Aberdeen supporters remains the decision involving Sterling, particularly because it came at a crucial stage of a semi-final that was still finely balanced.
Michael Stewart Questions Refereeing Decisions at Hampden
Stewart’s reaction to the Sterling incident added further fuel to the controversy.
The former midfielder was unhappy with the decision not to award Aberdeen a penalty, arguing that the contact with Sterling’s arm should have been treated differently.
The debate also raises familiar questions about the interpretation of handball incidents, including the position of the arm, the circumstances surrounding the contact and whether the player has made their body unnaturally bigger.
Those details are important when determining whether an offence has occurred, but the decision not to intervene has clearly divided opinion.
There was also another refereeing flashpoint involving Rangers defender James Penrice, whose high challenge on Aberdeen’s Afeez Aremu attracted calls from some observers for a red card rather than the yellow card shown.
Consequently, Lee and the VAR team have found themselves at the centre of several post-match discussions.
Ryan Naderi Sends Rangers Into the Final Despite Aberdeen Anger
The controversy ultimately came during a match that remained goalless until the 83rd minute.
Aberdeen had defended resolutely, restricting Rangers to very little clear-cut quality during the opening half. However, the Ibrox side increased the pressure after the break and eventually found the breakthrough.
Badredine Bouanani knocked the ball back to James Penrice, whose effort was redirected into the net by Naderi from close range.
It was the striker’s eighth goal of the season and proved decisive, sending Rangers into the Premier Sports Cup final.
McInnes’ side will now face either Hearts or Hibernian at Hampden on December 13.
For Robinson, however, the focus will inevitably remain on what might have happened had Aberdeen been awarded the penalty against Sterling.
The match has produced another major Scottish refereeing controversy, with footage of the incident continuing to circulate and supporters demanding answers.
Rangers have their place in the final, but Aberdeen’s unsuccessful penalty appeal has ensured that the officials’ decisions are now dominating the conversation surrounding their Hampden victory.
Nafisa
