NafisaFormer FIFA referee delivers verdict on controversial Rangers penalty as Don Robertson decision questioned after Hibs defeat
Rangers were left frustrated by another controversial refereeing decision during their 2-1 defeat to Hibernian at Ibrox on Sunday, but former FIFA referee Keith Hackett believes the contentious penalty call could genuinely have gone either way.
Derek McInnes’ side were looking to secure their first Scottish Premiership victory of the campaign, but instead suffered another disappointing afternoon in front of their home supporters.
The visitors took the lead after just 12 minutes following a lengthy VAR review involving Rangers midfielder Vanja Dragojevic and Hibernian defender Jason Kerr.
Dragojevic was judged to have pulled Kerr down inside the penalty area and was subsequently shown a yellow card, with referee Don Robertson pointing to the spot after being advised to review the incident.
Josh Campbell stepped up and made no mistake from 12 yards, beating Ivor Pandur to put Hibernian in front.
Rangers eventually found a way back into the contest when Miguel Chaiwa turned the ball into his own net, but the hosts were unable to build on the equaliser.
With the match appearing to be heading towards a draw, Callum Wright struck late to give Hibernian all three points and leave McInnes facing another frustrating result.
However, the penalty decision remained one of the biggest talking points after the final whistle.
Keith Hackett questions Rangers penalty decision
Former Premier League and FIFA referee Keith Hackett has now offered his assessment of the incident, and his verdict is unlikely to make the debate disappear anytime soon.
While Robertson and the VAR team ultimately concluded that Dragojevic had committed an offence, Hackett believes the situation was far less clear-cut.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, he explained that both players appeared to be holding onto each other and suggested the decision could reasonably have gone in the opposite direction.
He said:
“It appears to be evident that the season in Scotland is commencing with a clamp down on grappling.
“When you look at this decision who actually is doing the holding.
“Both players are holding onto each other so the judgment of an offence could have gone either way.
“The referee along with VAR are satisfied that they have made the correct call.”
Hackett’s comments highlight the difficulty surrounding the decision.
Rather than describing it as an obvious penalty, the former official believes there was enough uncertainty for the incident to be interpreted in either direction.
That is unlikely to satisfy Rangers supporters, particularly given the importance of the decision so early in the match.
Rangers cannot afford to blame Robertson
Despite the controversy, Rangers have bigger problems to address than the penalty decision.
The Ibrox side ultimately failed to win a game in which they had enough time to recover from the early setback.
After Chaiwa’s own goal brought them level, Rangers had an opportunity to take control and find the winner themselves.
Instead, it was Hibernian who produced the decisive moment.
That means McInnes cannot allow the penalty decision to become an excuse for another poor result.
The Rangers manager has already overseen a significant rebuild during the summer, with the club bringing in nine new players, but there are still obvious weaknesses within the squad.
Creativity remains a major concern.
Rangers have struggled to consistently create clear opportunities in their opening fixtures, and the lack of a genuine difference-maker in the final third has become increasingly noticeable.
Rangers still need more attacking quality
The arrival of another attacking player could certainly help McInnes, but expecting one signing to suddenly solve every problem would be unrealistic.
Rangers need more than an individual capable of producing a moment of magic.
They need improved movement, better combinations in the final third and greater consistency from the players already in the squad.
The defeat to Hibernian exposed those issues once again.
Even if the penalty decision had gone Rangers’ way, there is no guarantee the result would have been different.
The Gers still had to respond after falling behind, and although they eventually equalised, they were unable to find the attacking quality required to put the visitors under sustained pressure.
That is something McInnes must address quickly.
Pressure building on McInnes
Rangers have made a significant number of changes during the summer, meaning there will inevitably be a period of adjustment.
New players need time to understand their teammates, learn the manager’s system and develop the relationships required to perform consistently.
But Rangers are not afforded unlimited patience.
The club are expected to challenge Celtic and Hearts for major honours, and dropping points at Ibrox against Hibernian will only increase the pressure.
The controversial penalty may have played a major role in the way Sunday’s match developed, but Rangers ultimately had opportunities to recover.
They did not take them.
And that is why McInnes must focus less on Robertson’s decision and more on making sure his team are good enough to overcome moments of adversity.
The penalty debate will continue, particularly after Hackett’s assessment that “the judgment of an offence could have gone either way.”
But Rangers’ bigger challenge remains obvious.
They need to become more creative, more ruthless and more consistent — because one controversial decision, whether correct or incorrect, cannot be allowed to define their season.
If Rangers are serious about challenging Celtic and Hearts for the Scottish Premiership title, the response has to start on the pitch.
Nafisa
