Euro 2024: Steve Clarke fumes at referee's decision after Scotland's 'sad' exit - 'It was 100% a penalty'
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Updated 24/06/2024 at 07:31 GMT+1
Scotland manager Steve Clarke was adamant his side should have been awarded a penalty as their Euro 2024 campaign terminated with a last-gasp 1-0 defeat to Hungary. Kevin Csoboth netted in the 10th minute of stoppage-time to keep Hungary in the race for qualification to the last 16, but Clarke felt the decision to not award his side a penalty earlier in the match was seismic.
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Scotland boss Steve Clarke was left perplexed at the decision to not award his side a penalty as they crashed out of Euro 2024 following a 1-0 defeat to Hungary on Sunday.
Kevin Csoboth netted the winner in the 10th minute of stoppage-time to send Scotland bottom of Group A, but Clarke felt the goal was irrelevant and instead highlighted his confusion over the lack of a penalty decision.
Stuart Armstrong looked to have skipped in behind Hungary's Willi Orban in the 80th minute, before the defender grappled across the forward, with both tumbling in the box.
A subsequent VAR check deemed the challenge not worthy of a penalty, much to the bemusement of the Scotland boss.
"The goal comes as a consequence of us trying to win the game." Scotland head coach Clarke told BBC Sport.
"The goal is almost irrelevant. The moment for me was the penalty. It was 100 per cent a penalty. Someone has to explain to me why it wasn't a penalty because otherwise I'm thinking there's something wrong.
"I don't understand how VAR can look at that and say it's not a penalty."
Former West Ham United manager David Moyes agreed with Clarke's stance, labelling Orban's challenge "reckless".
Sitting on one point ahead of the game, only a win would have sufficed for Clarke's side to ensure qualification for the last 16. Hungary, who lost both their opening matches, were also in desperate need of a win to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Such permutations manifested in a largely cagey affair until the final moments of the match, when Scotland spurned multiple chances to get the crucial goal.
Hungary's last-gasp winner was the culmination of a fast-flowing counter-attack from a Scottish corner, and Clarke said it was an ultimately "sad" way to end the competition.
"It was always a one-goal game," he said. "We didn't manage to get the goal, we opened up at the end to try and get it.
"The overriding feeling is to be sad for everybody, for the supporters and the country, and the players are just as sad as everyone else."
Andy Robertson said "it will take a long time to get over" the defeat, as Scotland's record of never reaching the knockout stages of a major tournament continues.
"There's nothing really to say, to be honest," he said. "We gave it everything.
"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. A draw wasn't going to be enough realistically.
"Tonight and for a long time we have to get over this. It's a tough one. It's devastating. All the lads are absolutely gutted. I will say thank you to all the supporters; sorry for letting you all down."
Meanwhile, Niclas Fullkrug's last-gasp equaliser against Switzerland ensured a 1-1 draw, meaning Germany finished top of Group A with the Swiss in second.
Hungary's victory keeps them in with a chance of knockout football, but their -3 goal difference makes qualification an unlikely feat.
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