NafisaCeltic supporters have been left questioning Ryan Lee’s decision-making after James Penrice escaped a red card for a dangerous challenge during Rangers’ Premier Sports Cup semi-final victory over Aberdeen at Hampden Park.
The incident has attracted widespread criticism, with many supporters struggling to understand how the Rangers player remained on the pitch after making high contact with Aberdeen midfielder Afeez Aremu.
Lee awarded a free-kick but decided against showing Penrice a red card. VAR official John Beaton subsequently checked the incident but did not recommend an on-field review, meaning the referee’s original decision stood.
With Rangers eventually winning 1-0, the incident has become one of the biggest talking points from the semi-final, particularly among Celtic fans who believe their rivals benefited from a significant refereeing decision.
Why Ryan Lee decided against sending Penrice off
The key question surrounding the incident is why Lee did not consider the challenge serious enough to warrant a dismissal.
Under the Laws of the Game, a red card for serious foul play is appropriate when a player uses excessive force or endangers an opponent’s safety while challenging for the ball.
However, not every high or reckless challenge automatically meets that threshold. The referee must consider the force involved, the nature of the contact, the point of impact and the overall circumstances of the challenge.
In Penrice’s case, Lee awarded Aberdeen a free-kick but apparently did not believe the incident justified a red card.
According to Insiders, Ryan Lee did not judge Penrice’s challenge to meet the threshold for serious foul play — meaning he did not consider the force or nature of the contact sufficient to warrant a red card.
That suggests the referee may have judged the contact differently from those who have since criticised the decision. It is also possible that the officials did not consider the available footage sufficient to overturn the on-field assessment.
VAR decision adds to the frustration
The controversy became even more significant because the incident was checked by VAR.
John Beaton was responsible for reviewing the footage, but he did not recommend that Lee visit the pitchside monitor.
VAR is permitted to intervene in potential red-card incidents involving serious foul play when there is a clear and obvious error or a serious missed incident.
By allowing the original decision to stand, the VAR team effectively accepted that the incident did not meet the threshold for intervention.
That left Penrice on the pitch and Aberdeen supporters questioning why the challenge had not resulted in more serious punishment.
Rangers benefit as Aberdeen suffer Hampden heartbreak
The incident was particularly important because of the eventual outcome of the match.
Rangers secured a 1-0 victory through Ryan Naderi’s late goal, booking their place in the Premier Sports Cup final against Hibernian.
Penrice remained involved and played a part in the attacking move that produced the decisive goal, making the earlier controversy even more frustrating for Aberdeen supporters.
For Celtic fans, the decision has also reignited questions about refereeing consistency in Scottish football.
Ryan Lee is now at the centre of the debate, with supporters demanding to understand why he believed a free-kick was sufficient punishment for the challenge.
Until the referee or the Scottish FA provides a detailed explanation, however, the precise reasoning behind the decision remains unconfirmed. What cannot be disputed is that Penrice escaped a red card, VAR did not intervene, and Rangers went on to secure their place in the final.
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