The fine margins of a World Cup match can be decided by a single refereeing call, as Scotland found out in their 1-0 defeat to Morocco. Two penalty shouts were turned down, a possible red card was not given, and debate raged over whether the referee got it wrong. For UK fans watching at home, the incident highlights the ongoing tension between technology, human judgment, and the laws of the game.
Scotland lost to Morocco in their second World Cup group match after Ismael Saibari scored in the second minute. As they fought back, John McGinn and Scott McTominay both went down in the box, but Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev waved play on. Former referee Christina Unkel said the McTominay incident “is a penalty kick,” adding that Tantashev is known for tolerating a higher level of physical contact. Earlier, Morocco’s Issa Diop escaped with a yellow card for a challenge on Che Adams, which Scotland boss Steve Clarke felt “on another day could be a red.”
“An explainer on VAR and refereeing decisions at the World Cup, using Scotland vs Morocco as a case study.”
VAR (Video Assistant Referee) was introduced in football to correct “clear and obvious errors” by on-field referees. But its application has been inconsistent. Referees like Tantashev have a reputation for letting more contact go, which can lead to frustration when marginal calls are not reviewed. The system only intervenes if the on-field decision is deemed a clear mistake, leaving many decisions – including soft penalties or missed red cards – open to interpretation. In a separate match, Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off for covering his mouth while confronting an opponent, a new law change designed to prevent intimidation.
For UK readers, these controversies matter because similar VAR decisions can affect Premier League and Scottish Premiership games. The debate over consistency is a familiar one: fans want clear, fair rulings, but the sport’s physical nature makes objective calls difficult. The Scotland match also showed how quickly a game can swing on a referee’s judgement, with Clarke remarking that there were “one or two decisions that I’m not too sure about.”
Q: Why wasn't Scotland given a penalty against Morocco? Referee Ilgiz Tantashev judged that the contact on McGinn and McTominay was not enough for a foul, and VAR did not consider his decision a “clear and obvious error.” Former referee Christina Unkel disagreed, calling the McTominay incident a penalty.
Q: What is the new law about covering your mouth when confronting a referee? A recent law change makes it a red card offence for a player to cover their mouth while arguing with an opponent or official. Paraguay's Miguel Almiron was sent off for doing so against Turkey.
Q: Can teams formally complain about VAR or referee performances at the World Cup? Yes. Several nations have lodged complaints with FIFA about refereeing decisions. Australia’s coach Tony Popovic engaged in a heated exchange with officials after their 2-0 loss to the United States. FIFA has faced pressure to ensure “competitive balance” and “fair play on the field.”
Scotland’s knockout hopes remain alive after the Morocco defeat, but the result leaves them needing results elsewhere. Meanwhile, FIFA is dealing with referee protests from multiple nations, and upcoming matches will be under even greater scrutiny. The debate over VAR and human error in football shows no sign of being resolved.