'VAR couldn't intervene' - Ex-Fifa official hits out as Tottenham man embroiled in 'unsporting' international incident
Northern Ireland should have been playing against 10 men for the whole second half of their 0-0 draw with Georgia.
That is according to former FIFA official Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that Giorgi Kochorashvili should have seen red for a second bookable offence after tackling Tottenham's Jamie Donley.
Northern Ireland ended the first round of 2026-27 Nations League fixtures with a draw on home turf on Monday night.
Michael O'Neill's men had beaten Georgia 1-0 in their first game of the tournament on 25 September, then drew to Hungary and won 3-0 against Ukraine last Friday.
They sit top of League B Group 2 with eight points accrued after four games, but will feel hard done by at not winning on Monday as Georgia got away with a controversial decision.
The Green and White Army stars will now return to their respective clubs before rounding off their Nations League campaign in mid-November.
Giorgi Kochorashvili should have seen red for late Jamie Donley challenge
Sevilla enforcer Kochorashvili was booked in the 18th minute after his third foul of the encounter saw him drag Shea Charles to the floor.
The Georgian star was walking a tightrope for the rest of the clash, but decided to hack down Spurs youngster Donley on the stroke of half-time.
Austrian referee Sebastian Gishamer decided against going to his pocket for a second yellow and a red, with home fans up in arms over his decision as Kochorashvili was duly substituted off at the break.
Former FIFA referee and PGMOL boss Hackett believes that Northern Ireland should have benefitted from playing against 10 men for 45 minutes after the Georgia man wrongly avoided red.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, he said: "The Georgia player should have received a second yellow card. His foul challenge was an act of unsporting behaviour stopping a promising attack. In this situation, VAR is unable to intervene."
Northern Ireland also on wrong end of red card call vs Ukraine
Hackett has also exclusively told Football Insider that Ukraine's Danylo Sikan should have been sent off against O'Neill's side in their 3-0 defeat last week.
Sikan came off his feet to tackle Hull City star Paddy McNair late on in the clash, but somehow avoided a straight red.
Hackett said: "This is a challenge where it fulfils serious foul play. The player, at pace, has launched himself with two feet off the ground.
"He's out of control. There's no way he can stop or deviate, and he clatters into his opponent. I was amazed that the referee saw that as a yellow and reckless when, in fact, it had all the hallmarks [of a red]."