A VAR intervention that switched a penalty to a red card was the key moment in Hibernian's 1-0 defeat at Dundee United. The decision, which former referees have since labelled a correct fix for a clear error, marred Marink Reedijk's first game as Hibs manager and left the side 10th in the Premiership on just seven points.
In the 79th minute at Tannadice Park, with Hibs chasing the game, Manchester United loanee Jacob Devaney fouled Dundee United's Neil Farrugia as he advanced on goal. Referee Don Robertson initially pointed to the spot and showed Devaney a yellow card. After a review, VAR officials determined the contact occurred outside the penalty area, overturning the penalty award and upgrading the sanction to a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Reedijk's debut ends in defeat
The incident overshadowed what was meant to be a fresh start under new boss Reedijk, appointed during the recent international break. His tenure began with a narrow loss settled by Daniel Bennie's 35th minute strike for the hosts. Dundee United secured their first home league win of the season, while Hibs' winless run extended, leaving them looking nervously at the standings. The team's league record now shows they have scored eight goals but conceded twelve, a defensive vulnerability that contributed to this latest setback.
Former officials Bobby Madden and Mark Clattenburg have both assessed the incident, agreeing the technology properly corrected an on-field mistake. Madden, who recently launched a podcast discussing VAR controversies, attended Scotland's Nations League match on the same day. The broader debate around video technology continues, but in this instance, the consensus is it worked as intended.
Hibernian's next fixture offers a swift opportunity to halt their slide, a home match against 11th placed Falkirk this Saturday. The team will need to regroup without the suspended Devaney as they seek a first victory under their new manager to improve upon their current tally of seven points.
Background and full detail: Edinburgh News
