Hamza Igamane had a strike chalked off in the first half with the ball adjudged to have crossed the line
The officials at Pittodrie simply ‘guessed’ that the ball had crossed the line before Hamza Igamane’s strike against Aberdeen was ruled out, according to a former top official.
For the sixth time in nine games under Barry Ferguson, Rangers found themselves 2-0 down in a game when Leighton Clarkson and Pape Gueye put Aberdeen in control.
Ross McCausland’s red card in between the two goals didn’t help matters for the Ibrox side, and although they battled back to seal a 2-2 draw in the second half, they felt aggrieved not to have pulled one back earlier.
Igamane had the ball in the back of the net before the half-time break but it was deemed that the ball had crossed the line before Findlay Curtis cut it back for the Moroccan.
As such, whistler Steven McLean, backed by Andrew Dallas on VAR, pointed for a goal-kick instead.
Former Premier League ref Keith Hackett though reckons that decision could only have been guesswork, judging by the position of the linesman who flagged the ball as out of play.
And he believes that a change to goaline technology, to encompass the entire byline and not just between the sticks, could be the solution to prevent that in future.
He told Football Insider: “The person who makes the best judgement as to whether the whole of the ball is out of play is the assistant referee.
To make that accurate judgement, he is not looking over the flag straight down the goal line, he is, in fact, a good yard or more out of position.
“So, a goal is ruled out by a guess rather than factual evidence.
“Having worked with Hawkeye, I am aware of the distorted view that the referee from his position is open to, and the assistant just made a guess.
I do not blame the officials, but the authorities need to extend the goal line technology from corner flag to corner flag to ensure that goals are not ruled out at the elite level by guessing the ball is out of play
