VAR told they've missed Rangers penalty as Dundee labelled 'fortunate' after incident right in front of ref

Rangers have been told by one pundit that they may feel aggrieved by a penalty decision in their match with Dundee.

Returning to Ibrox for the first time this season due to delayed renovation works at the stadium, Cyriel Dessers fired Philippe Clement’s men into a narrow one-goal lead at half-time. The winner of the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final would join Motherwell, Aberdeen or Spartans and Celtic or Falkirk in the last four.

As Rangers probed for another goal, Dessers went down in the box under a challenge from Dundee midfielder Mo Sylla. The battler had his arms wrapped around the Light Blues striker with referee Chris Graham and VAR left with a decision to make.

The ref technology was not called upon though despite some protests from Dessers and co-commentator for the game broadcast live on Premier Sports Michael Stewart was in agreeance with the forward. He said as the incident was replayed: “He’s not happy, the big striker.

“You can see there, Sylla has his two arms wrapped around the striker. Dessers has now been spoken to, referee Chris Graham doesn’t seem happy with the striker. You can understand why Dessers is not happy there.

“Sylla has both of his arms wrapped around him and I am surprised it has not been looked at. It looks as if the referee is looking right at it as well. Dessers is trying to move and shift. Fortunate.”

Stewart was then asked if he thought that upon a VAR inspection, the penalty would be given. His answer was definitive. He said: “I don’t see how it wouldn’t be, really.”

Marvin Bartley was in disagreement though. The pundit added: “Not for me. Sylla has probably been a bit silly in terms of his arms wrapped around him. But I was speaking to Alan Hutton off air, he’s more guiding Dessers than pulling him.

“If you watch, Dessers is intelligent in what he does, he tries to pull away and falls into him. Sylla isn’t pulling him in there. I don’t think there’s enough contact to give a penalty kick there.”