Rangers advanced to the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup on Wednesday evening.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were back at Ibrox for the first time since their Champions League humiliation at the hands of Liverpool.
The manager made a raft of changes as the Gers stumbled over the line with a 1-0 win that was met by boos from the home faithful at the full-time whistle.
Steven Davis’ early header proved crucial but things could well have been a whole lot different had one decision gone the way of the visitors Dundee.
Fashion Sakala and Cammy Kerr both picked up yellow cards for a coming together on 64 minutes but an image on Twitter shows that the Rangers forward may well have been lucky to escape a red.
TIF Thoughts on Sakala’s challenge…
The evidence certainly doesn’t look good from Sakala point of view but nonetheless, the winger stayed on the field.
Dundee boss Gary Bowyer, formally of Blackburn Rovers and Salford, believes the game could have “changed” had the Zambian seen the line and felt that the 25-year-old had kicked out at his player.
Should Sakala have been sent off?
Yes
No
“We definitely feel it should have been a red card,” said the English coach.
We would have to say that he’s right. The Rangers man makes contact with a raised leg and studs to the thigh and knee area of the opposition player at force, which would have to be deemed as serious foul play.
Nevertheless, the Bears squeezed through to set up a semi-final with Aberdeen and things will be very different the next time GVB’s men are in action.
That is because VAR will be introduced in the Scottish Premiership this weekend with Rangers hosting Livingston and incidents like Sakala’s will be thoroughly reviewed.
Kerr instigated the”coming together” with Sakala. He then made no effort to extricate himself from Sakala who was lying on the floor. If Sakala had to go then so had Kerr.
But of course we only hear Bowyer’s biased comments
reinforced by pundits who always look to criticise and pick faults with Rangers and their players.