24 June 2024 , 00:31
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Scotland boss Steve Clarke suggested that only European referees should officiate at the European Championships after Argentinean official Facundo Tello denied his side a penalty against Hungary.
Tello opted not to point to the spot when Stuart Armstrong went down under a clumsy challenge from Willi Orban in the 79th minute of the group clash in Stuttgart.
The Scots were ultimately eliminated from the Euros after Hungary substitute Kevin Csoboth scored in the 10th minute of injury time to keep his side alive in the competition. The time had been largely added on following a worrying injury for Hungary forward Barnabas Varga, who was later confirmed to have suffered facial fractures.
Speaking to assembled media about the Armstrong incident after the match, Clarke said: "One hundred per cent a penalty. Somebody somewhere has to explain to me why that's not a penalty. It is 100 per cent.
"It's a one goal game and if we get the penalty it could be a different night. I've got other words, but I'm not going to use them.."
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However Clarke was then pressed on the failure to award the spot-kick, aiming his anger at Tello and Spanish VAR Alejandro Hernandez.
Clarke was furious at the failure to award a penalty (Getty Images)"It's a European competition, so it may have been better to have a European referee," continued Clarke.
"But we had a European VAR, and maybe the referee didn't see the challenge clearly on the pitch, so what's the purpose of VAR if they're not going to come in on something like that? It was a penalty."
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Tello is the only non-European referee taking charge of Euros matches, and he oversaw the clash between Turkey and Georgia earlier in the group stages.
The move is part of an ongoing between collaboration and South American football governing body CONMEBOL, with officials being shared between each other.
Facundo Tello opted not to point to the spot (AFP via Getty Images)Scotland captain Andy Robertson was devastated after the defeat, and said: "There's nothing really to say to be honest. We gave it everything.
"We knew we had to win this game, and they've hit us on the counter-attack. It could have gone either way, but that's football - that's how it goes. It will take a long time to get over this one.
"We had a lot of possession, first half, without doing anything with it. We had to find that cutting edge and go for it a wee bit more. We did go for it, but we got sucker-punched."