Philippe Clement chastised referee Nick Walsh and VAR for disallowing a goal that he believes would have won Rangers the Scottish Cup.
His team was leading in Saturday’s Hampden final against Celtic and thought they had struck first through Abdallah Sima after an hour. However, after a VAR review, Walsh ruled it out as a push by Nico Raskin on Hoops goalkeeper Joe Hart. Clement was furious about the decision, citing an earlier push in the game by Liam Scales on Dujon Sterling that went unpunished. The Belgian believes that if Sima’s goal had been allowed to stand, Rangers would have won the trophy.
Instead, Celtic striker Adam Idah scored in the 90th minute, capitalizing on a Jack Butland error to win the game. Clement’s frustration with Walsh’s decision was palpable. He said, “We needed to score at that point today. However, it is disappointing to score and have it disallowed in this manner. Especially when I compare it to Scales’ push for Sterling in the first half. It’s a much more significant push than what happened to Hart.
“I also noticed Celtic defenders grabbing my players and wrapping their arms around their necks and waists at that time. It was a huge decision to deny that goal. It’s their choice. They’re honest, but that’s a grey area, not black or white, and he made the decision. But, as a manager, I am disappointed.”
Rangers suffered their fifth consecutive defeat to Celtic this season, as they finished with only one trophy, the League Cup. But on Saturday, they competed better than they had previously against their Old Firm rivals, and Clement was pleased with their performance. He claims Celtic officials told him that Rangers were the better team at Hampden.
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