Ex-Fifa official: Rangers star Bojan Miovski at centre of 'total injustice' in Scotland clash
Rangers striker Bojan Miovski was unfairly punished for hadball during North Macedonia's defeat to Scotland in the Nations League.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that he was the victim of "poor officiating" on Saturday, 3 October.
Kieron Bowie and John McGinn were on target for Scotland, who moved up to third in the National Eague B Group 1 table, while North Macedonia sit rock-bottom.
It was McGinn who converted from the penalty spot in the 69th minute after VAR recommended a review of Miovski's handball on the goal line.
Bowie saw his shot blocked from point-blank range by the 27-year-old, slightly raising his hand, seemingly in an attempt to protect himself.
That's clearly not how VAR saw the incident, with Miovski even cautioned for his troubles, as North Macedonia were dealth a hammer blow.
Bojan Miovski's handball decision vs Scotland 'very poor'
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett couldn't believe what he was seeing, not understanding why a penalty kick had been awarded.
"I will continue to say that the handball law in the way it's written is too open to subjectivity in relation to match officials," he said.
"You'll get the same decision and you'll get different outcomes by referees. This player has no chance of reacting to a ball coming at him from such a short distance.
"The referee's got to take that into account. The ball struck him. He had no chance to withdraw. Even if we consider, if we thought that the hand was, or arm was projected outwards to make the body shape bigger, he didn't have time to even think about that.
"The sanction of a yellow card in the Nations League is pretty strong; get two and you're suspended. There's no right of appeal, it's just a total injustice. So, very poor officiating."
What do Rangers have planned for Miovski?
Miovski's time away during the international break has meant that he's already played more minutes for North Macedonia than he has for Rangers this season.
Even with Youssef Chermiti and Lawrence Shankland sidelined, he's struggling for minutes under Derek McInnes.
He even scored a stoppage time winner against St Mirren last month, but Football Insider understands that he remains far down the pecking order.
This could easily result in a January exit for the frustrated centre-forward, especially with Kevin Kelsy now at the club after his £9million arrival.