adminRangers secured a hugely important 1-0 victory over Aberdeen on Sunday, but the result was overshadowed by controversial VAR decisions that left the hosts frustrated and questioning the officiating.
Lawrence Shankland proved to be the difference at Pittodrie after converting a 69th-minute penalty to give Rangers three valuable Scottish Premiership points. The result also provided some much-needed relief for Derek McInnes following Rangers’ disappointing European exit earlier in the week.
The game was closely contested for long periods, with Aberdeen starting brightly and attempting to put Rangers under pressure. However, neither side managed to find a breakthrough before the decisive moment arrived in the second half.
Rangers were awarded a penalty after Aberdeen defender Dan Happe brought down Djeidi Gassama inside the area. Referee Matthew MacDermid immediately pointed to the spot, and Shankland stepped forward to take responsibility.
The Rangers captain made no mistake, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and giving his team a priceless lead.
Aberdeen, however, believed they should have been awarded a penalty of their own later in the match after Kevin Nisbet went down inside the Rangers box. Their appeals were rejected, leaving the home side increasingly frustrated.
The biggest controversy arrived when Aberdeen appeared to have found a late equaliser.
Nisbet produced what looked like a dramatic leveller after following up on a sequence of saves from Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur. The Aberdeen striker eventually found the net, sparking celebrations among the home supporters.
Those celebrations were short-lived.
VAR intervened and the referee reviewed the incident before ruling that Nisbet had committed a foul on Rangers defender Dujon Sterling during the build-up. The goal was subsequently disallowed, leaving Aberdeen furious with the decision.
The hosts were particularly unhappy because the disallowed goal came shortly after their own penalty appeal had been rejected.
For Rangers, though, the final whistle brought enormous relief. After a difficult week, McInnes’ side had managed to produce the result they desperately needed.
It was not the most convincing performance from Rangers, but the three points could prove significant as they look to rebuild confidence following their European disappointment.
Shankland’s penalty was ultimately enough to settle a tense contest, while Aberdeen were left to reflect on what might have been had the VAR decisions gone differently.
The defeat leaves Aberdeen with three points from their opening three Premiership matches, while Rangers can take encouragement from finally getting their league campaign moving in the right direction.
With the season still in its early stages, both clubs will know there is plenty of work ahead. But for Rangers and their captain Shankland, the most important thing on Sunday was simply getting the victory.
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