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“Desperate on the Penalty”- BBC Sportscene Pundits Stephen McGinn reacts to Rangers controversy footage v Hearts
Rangers returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday, but the match was marred by drama.
The scoreline didn’t fully reflect the Scottish Premiership encounter, as Hearts had several opportunities and scored two own goals, which handed Rangers the lead twice.
Despite the luck on their side, controversy surrounded the match, particularly as Hearts believed they should have been awarded a penalty just before Rangers took the lead for the second time.
Clinton Nsiala’s Risk with VAR
Clinton Nsiala was the player at the center of the penalty claims, having seemingly shoved James Wilson in the Rangers box, prompting “desperate” appeals from Hearts fans for VAR to intervene.
Wilson felt the push from Nsiala warranted a penalty, but the referee waved play on, and VAR chose not to intervene.
Immediately afterward, Rangers counterattacked, and Vaclav Cerny scored to put them 2-1 ahead.
Stephen McGinn, discussing the incident on BBC Sportscene (16 February, 22:30), stated that he believed the right decision was made, saying: “It’s one of those ones.
“Nsiala takes a chance with VAR because the more you slow it down, the more it looks like a foul.
“In real play, I didn’t think there was enough for a penalty, but I think, as Steven said, the attacking team is always desperate for it, and Nsiala takes a chance.”
Rangers Benefited from Luck Against Hearts
As McGinn mentioned, the push from Nsiala probably wasn’t sufficient to warrant a penalty.
However, it’s understandable why Hearts would be frustrated that the incident wasn’t reviewed by VAR. At the same time, Nsiala will likely be relieved that his physicality wasn’t penalized.
What truly matters for Rangers is that they earned another three points, cutting the gap to Celtic back to 13 points.
Jack Butland played a crucial role with a series of key saves that kept his side in the game.
Although Rangers secured the win, questions remain about Philippe Clement’s future at Ibrox, and there’s a pressing need for better performances moving forward.
Rangers’ February ends with matches against St Mirren and Kilmarnock, with Clement needing two convincing victories to boost confidence at Ibrox.
Clement’s position remains precarious, and he could greatly benefit from straightforward wins and fewer controversies if he hopes to stay in charge.
