Arsenal news: Ex-Fifa official issues verdict on controversial footage as Kieran Tierney fumes
Keith Hackett has slammed the “poor decision” which left Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney fuming in Scotland’s draw with Poland.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League official claimed referee Robert Hennessy was “miles behind the play” and “guessed” at Hampden Park.
As shown by Sky Sports (24 March), Steve Clarke’s side were denied victory in stoppage time after a controversial penalty was awarded to Poland.
Hennessy pointed to the spot after minimal contact on Krzysztof Piatek, with the striker converting the penalty he won from the spot.
The decision sparked fury from Scotland players such as Kieran Tierney, who surrounded the referee.
When asked by Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs for his assessment of the incident, Hackett said: “Dear oh dear, that is a poor decision.
“What a bad decision that is. This was a friendly but that does not matter.
“Ultimately, for all of the right reasons, the referee has to do his job whether it is a friendly or not. He is miles behind the play and he has guessed and guessed wrong. He’s imagined contact.
“The angle he is at, he’s got a poor view of it. The bodies of both players are covering the incident. They are not giving him the clarity that he desires to see that there has been no contact.”
Speaking to the BBC, Clarke said: “The penalty puts a little downer on it.
“It is a penalty decision for a friendly game. It was soft.”
In other news, Danny Mills ‘can’t believe’ what he’s heard about Bukayo Saka’s Arsenal contract talks.