Scottish VAR is a mess, says Scotland’s McGinn

Scotland midfielder John McGinn described VAR as «a mess» amid controversy in Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup win over Motherwell at Pittodrie.

Three players were sent off at Pittodrie, with VAR playing a role in all three dismissals made by referee John Beaton.

Oscar Priestman was red-carded after he impeded Lyall Cameron as he was through on goal, allowing Aberdeen forward Kevin Nisbet to find the bottom corner from the resulting free-kick.

Dons debutant Dennis Geiger’s high and wild tackle to the groin of Lukas Fadinger eventually resulted in a dismissal and numerical parity but Well’s Liam Gordon was ordered off moments after the restart for a foul on Toyosi Olusanya.

Both Priestman and Gordon were judged to have denied a goal-scoring opportunity after Beaton went to the monitor.

And Aston Villa’s 83-times capped McGinn, whose brother Paul captained Motherwell, said on social media: «I’ve sent you to the screen let’s send you to an angle from the North Sea to back it up.

«Scottish var is a mess.»

In his post-match interview, Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou told BBC Scotland: «We get Liam Gordon sent off in a decision that is a mystery to me and will remain a mystery to me because there are two players covering behind him who will, without a shadow of a doubt, get in his way or at least make sure it’s never a very obvious goal chance.»

The Scottish FA have been approached for comment.

The Priestman and Gordon red cards follow similar incidents in Dundee United’s Tuesday cup win over Spartans and Falkirk’s Premiership defeat by United on Saturday.

Falkirk’s Liam Henderson was initially yellow carded for a foul on Max Watters near halfway but it was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.

And, at Tannadice, United centre-back Iurie Iovu was sent off after for a bodycheck on Cammy Russell. VAR was not used in that incident.