Easter Road saw a rise in temperature as Philippe Clement’s team advanced to the Scottish Cup semifinal.
With the League Cup already won and them leading the Scottish Premiership, Philippe Clement’s team hopes to win a treble this season. Nick Montgomery’s team stands in their way at Easter Road. Although John Lundstram and Fabio Silva’s goals ultimately decided the match and secured a berth for the Light Blues at Hampden, the situation in Leith was far from over as temperatures rose to unbearable levels.
After a contentious argument over the penalty that resulted in Rangers taking the lead in the capital, the home team ended the quarterfinal with nine men. Thus, McLean and Steven Kirkland’s Sunday duty in the VAR room was anything but calm.
Dujon Sterling penalty
While Michael Stewart on commentary felt that the decision was harsh, in the Viaplay studio there was a more unanimous verdict. Dujon Sterling burst into the box before being involved in a tangle with full-back Jordan Obita – sparking McLean into action. Speaking on Viaplay, former Hibs boss Neil Lennon said: “The penalty for me is a penalty. Sterling gets across him and there’s contact. He maybe hasn’t clipped his ankles but there is contact and there’s enough to make Sterling go over.”
Jordan Obita of Hibs is penalised for a foul on Rangers star Dujon Sterling
Jordan Obita of Hibs is penalised for a foul on Rangers star Dujon Sterling
Former Rangers star Alan Hutton added: “I think Sterling does well. He gets across him and Obita can’t make that tackle within the box.”
Marvin Bartley rounded off: “Yeah, it is a penalty all day long, as soon as the attacker gets across the front of you, you almost have to give up because any sort of contact there is going to be a penalty kick.”
First Jordan Obita yellow card
Hibs man Obita was shown his first yellow card of the afternoon when he hauled back Tom Lawrence as the Rangers man looked to counter attack. Ex-Easter Road boss Neil Lennon couldn’t mount a defence for the star saying: “It’s a stupid yellow card. It’s on Tom Lawrence. Tom is running back into bodies and he just takes him out.”
Alan Hutton added: ‘It’s just silly. It’s pointless. When you do that you know there is only one thing coming. He just makes the referee make a decision.”
Second Jordan Obita yellow card
The defender was already on a yellow card when he threw and arm out at Rabbi Matondo – leading to referee Steven McLean dishing out a red. Neil Lennon backed up the decision stating: “He was too emotional in the second half and I don’t know where his mind was at. It looked like he was begging to be sent off. Before his second yellow he got involved with (Ross) McCausland who was injured and the Rangers physio to try and push him off the pitch.
“He needed to calm down but he didn’t. It was a blatant body check on Matondo and he lifted the arm. He gave the referee a decision to make. It was absolutely crazy.”
However, Michael Stewart felt the call was harsh. He said: “That is not a yellow card. That is ludicrous and VAR now can’t get involved. There is a bit of bite to the game but you want to see that. It didn’t look like there was anything in the challenge. That is nothing. Because it’s a second yellow VAR can’t get involved.”
Nathan Moriah-Welsh red card
While the pundits struggled to agree on the other big calls – they did side with Nick Montgomery over one decision. The Hibs boss defended Nathan Moriah-Welsh for his lunge on John Lundstram that saw him land a straight red.
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