Should Scotland Have Had a Penalty Against Morocco?

Verified facts

Morocco beat Scotland 1–0 after Ismael Saibari scored after roughly 70 seconds. During Scotland’s stronger second half, John McGinn and Scott McTominay each went down in the Morocco penalty area and appealed. Neil El Aynaoui was involved in the disputed challenges. No penalty was awarded and neither decision was changed.

Case for the decision

The pro-penalty case is strongest when the two incidents are viewed as attempts to block an attacker rather than ordinary shoulder-to-shoulder contact. McGinn said he was taken out, and the later McTominay challenge included contact around the knee and boot as he tried to move through a crowded area. A former referee on the broadcast said the McTominay incident met the technical definition of a simple foul even if the contact did not look severe.

Case against the decision

The no-penalty argument rests on the amount and clarity of the contact. Both incidents happened in congested areas, and defenders are allowed to compete for position. The McTominay sequence in particular involves several bodies and tangled legs, making it harder to identify one clearly careless action. A close judgment does not automatically become a VAR overturn.

Rule explanation

IFAB Law 12 says a penalty is awarded when a defender commits a direct-free-kick offence inside the defender’s own penalty area. The referee must decide whether the challenge was careless, reckless or used excessive force. Under the VAR protocol, penalty and no-penalty incidents can be reviewed, but the video assistant is supposed to recommend a change only for a clear and obvious error or a serious missed incident. That is why viewers can believe a foul occurred while also understanding why the original decision survived.

Bottom line

The later McTominay appeal gives Scotland its clearest argument, while the crowded nature of both incidents gives the referee some room. The vote below records fan opinion; it does not replace an official ruling.

Sources

• The Guardian — post-match reaction, McGinn and McTominay appeals, Steve Clarke and John McGinn comments
• The Guardian — contemporaneous match timeline, result and both late penalty appeals
• The Guardian — match report and account of the McTominay appeal
• FourFourTwo — former-referee analysis of the McTominay incident
• New York Post — contemporary report on the no-call and public controversy
• IFAB — Law 12 primary rules source
• IFAB — VAR protocol primary rules source