The SFA’s Key Match Incident (KMI) panel has delivered its verdict on the three key VAR incidents during Dundee United’s 2-0 victory over St Mirren last weekend.
The Buddies felt aggrieved that Tangerines goalkeeper Jack Walton was not dismissed for a late foul on Toyosi Olusanya in the first period.
The opening goal then came from the penalty spot after referee Matthew MacDermid was urged to attend the monitor to assess Marcus Fraser’s challenge on Kevin Holt.
Holt dusted himself down to convert from 12 yards.
Fraser’s afternoon went from bad to worse after being adjudged to have impeded Louis Moult in the box. Another spot-kick was awarded and, following a VAR check, a red card was brandished for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
That dismissal has since been rescinded, while radio and TV pundits alike have also questioned the other two calls at length.
And on Friday afternoon the weekly KMI panel, which assesses all VAR decisions from the previous round of fixtures, brought the matter to a close.
Jack Walton is shown a yellow card for foul on Toyosi Olusanya: INCORRECT (4-1)
Walton heaved a sigh of relief after haring out of his box to halt the run of Olusanya with a high challenge.
There was no realistic prospect of it being deemed the denial of a goalscoring opportunity due to how wide Olusanya was, with the ball skipping towards the touchline.
However, the force of the tackle certainly veered towards reckless.
And the KMI panel deemed by a margin of four to one that Walton should have been sent off.
The reasoning read: “The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (4:1) deeming the on-field decision incorrect.
“The majority (4:1) believed VAR should have intervened to recommend an OFR (on-field review) for a red card as the challenge endangered the safety of an opponent.
“One panelist believed that a yellow card was sufficient and VAR was correct not to intervene.”
Dundee United are awarded a penalty after Kevin Holt is impeded by Marcus Fraser: CORRECT (5-0)
Footage showed that Fraser kicked the heel of Holt as the big United centre-half sought to win possession in the box.
Speaking after the match, Holt said: “He’s just trying to clear the ball over his shoulder and doesn’t see me coming. But I got the nick on the ball, and he kicks the bottom of my heel.
“It might look soft or avoidable, from their point of view; and I know it wasn’t deliberate.
“But it was a penalty.”
And the KMI panel agreed with that assessment across the board, explaining: “The panel unanimously agreed that the correct decision was reached after a VAR intervention and that this was a careless challenge by the defender.”
Part 1: Dundee United are awarded a penalty after Marcus Fraser tussles with Louis Moult: CORRECT (4-1)
The KMI panel overwhelmingly believed that Fraser did impede Moult, albeit one member “felt the holding wasn’t sufficient and that a VAR intervention should have taken place to recommend overturning the penalty award.”
Holt missed the spot-kick, regardless.
Part 2: Marcus Fraser is dismissed: INCORRECT (3-2)
St Mirren have already received vindication after appealing against the red card earlier this week. The Scottish FA fast-track judicial panel ruled in their favour and Fraser will now be available to face Motherwell on Saturday.
However, the KMI panel was split on whether the foul represented the denial of a goalscoring opportunity, and the decision was given a difficulty rating of four, which indicates a subjective, “50/50” call.
The written explanation read: “The majority (3:2) believed that VAR incorrectly intervened to suggest an OFR for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
“Three members of the panel highlighted that they didn’t think it was clear and
obvious enough for VAR to become involved.
“Two panel members believed that VAR was correct to intervene and recommend an OFR for a red card to be awarded as they deemed the offence to be denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.”
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