Panel Determines VAR Intervention for United Penalty Against Hibs Was Incorrect

The Scottish FA’s key match incident review panel has concluded that Dundee United should not have been awarded the penalty kick that allowed them to equalise against Hibernian on Saturday. A majority of the panel, specifically three out of the five members, determined that VAR (video assistant referee) Greg Aitken “incorrectly intervened to suggest” an on-field review. With the hosts leading through Lewis Miller’s first-half header, United defender Emmanuel Adegboyega fell to the ground after his shirt was pulled by two Hibs players as a free-kick entered the penalty box, with only one minute of normal time remaining. Referee Colin Steven initially did not signal a foul, but after reviewing the incident at the monitor, he issued a second yellow card to Hibs striker Mykola Kuharevich, leading to his dismissal, and awarded the spot kick from which Sam Dalby scored the equalizer. Although two members of the panel considered VAR’s intervention appropriate for recommending a potential penalty, the majority did not “think the potential foul was clear and obvious enough.” The panel examined 23 VAR interventions across Premiership fixtures from last midweek and the weekend, identifying five instances where initial on-field rulings were appropriately reversed. It concurred that VAR correctly awarded a goal to St Johnstone in their 3-1 defeat by St Mirren, despite striker Benjamin Kimpioka initially being ruled offside. Furthermore, it affirmed that the home side’s goal was correctly disallowed for a foul in the build-up. Additionally, it was determined that Aberdeen appropriately received a penalty for handball in their 2-1 victory over Rangers, an incident where goalkeeper Jack Butland saved Jamie McGrath’s shot. Furthermore, penalties were also deemed correctly awarded for St Johnstone in their 2-1 defeat by Heart of Midlothian and for St Mirren in their 0-0 draw with Ross County.