Scotland manager Steve Clarke has launched a furious attack on match officials following what he described as a 'scandalous' penalty decision that condemned his side to a frustrating 1-0 defeat against Greece.
Controversy Mars Final Euro 2024 Preparations
With just days remaining before Scotland's Euro 2024 campaign kicks off against Germany, Clarke's planned final preparations were thrown into disarray by a highly contentious first-half penalty award that ultimately decided the match.
'I'm trying to be careful with my words but the penalty is scandalous,' an visibly irate Clarke told reporters post-match. 'The referee is in a great position, the ball comes off John McGinn's thigh onto his arm - it's not a penalty.'
VAR Fails to Intervene in Contentious Call
Despite the presence of VAR technology, the decision stood, allowing Greece to convert what proved to be the game's only goal from the spot. Clarke expressed particular frustration that the video assistant failed to correct what appeared to be a clear and obvious error.
'The most disappointing thing is that the VAR didn't intervene,' Clarke continued. 'If that's a penalty, we're going to have penalties every time the ball hits somebody's arm in the box. It's ridiculous.'
Injury Concerns Add to Scottish Woes
The controversial defeat was compounded by fresh injury worries, with key defender Ryan Porteous forced off during the second half. The timing couldn't be worse for Scotland, who open their Euro 2024 account against hosts Germany in Munich on June 14th.
'We'll assess Ryan overnight and see how he is,' Clarke said, acknowledging the additional setback. 'It's not ideal preparation, but we have to deal with these challenges.'
Final Send-Off Against Finland Looms
Scotland now face Finland at Hampden Park in their final pre-tournament friendly, where Clarke will be desperate for both a positive result and a clean bill of health for his squad.
'We need to put this behind us quickly and focus on giving the supporters something to cheer about on Friday,' Clarke stated. 'The players deserve a proper send-off before we head to Germany.'
The Scotland boss remains confident his team can overcome this setback, but the controversial nature of the defeat has undoubtedly cast a shadow over their final preparations for the European Championships.
