Scotland could almost taste the bubbly champagne tingling beneath their very noses as Scott McTominay curled a stunning free-kick past Spain’s unfortunate goalkeeper Unai Simon. They had the exciting possibility of defeating Spain handily and earning a spot in the 2024 European Championship.

But the excitement surrounding the Scottish players quickly turned into an agonizing torture as VAR’s intervention suddenly cut short their happiness. The goal was severely rejected following a thorough review, shocking the stunned onlookers in the stadium.

According to the information on the displays, Jack Hendry’s foul against the goalkeeper rendered the goal void. The authority that oversees European football, UEFA, subsequently made it clear that Hendry’s offside and play-interfering behavior was the basis for the judgment.

The confusing nature of the contentious choice exacerbated the general sense of injustice and fundamentally changed the nature of the game. Spain cleverly took advantage of the hopelessness that gripped the Scottish team, turning possession into a goal through the efforts of Alvaro Morata. In the closing seconds of the game, Ryan Porteous’ depressing own goal gave Spain a second goal, adding to Scotland’s sorrow.

Scotland entered Spain having won all five of their previous qualifiers, most notably a 2-0 victory over the same opponents in Glasgow back in March. With just one point needed to guarantee their spot in Euro 2024, the visiting team showed incredible bravery in the face of a tough opponent that hadn’t lost a home qualification in twenty years.

But the VAR crew and the referee had different opinions, which crushed Scotland’s hopes. It seems sense that their manager, Steve Clarke, became enraged and frustrated. “The choice alters the entire evening,” he said, sounding frustrated.

“To be honest, I have no idea what he gave it for—I don’t know if it was a foul or offside—but the game changed by a slim margin. McTominay nearly scored a spectacular goal with his excellent free kick.

“Jack is a centimeter offside at the beginning. The referee has been asked to examine it as he approaches the keeper. Jack is perceived by them as meddling with the keeper. The goalie might not have saved that shot in the first place.

Midfielder John McGinn of Scotland expressed his annoyance as well. “Every Scottish person would be frustrated watching that,” he stated. “You believe you have a goal in order to be qualified. Incredible blow from Scotty. Nothing in the world will keep that safe.

It’s a foul, according to the referee. He decides throughout the game that it is an offside. How clear is it, I’m not sure. That that is what hurts the most. We win the crucial moment and win. Although Jack’s right leg is asymmetrical, it’s quite painful.”

Scotland had a difficult time in the match as they suffered a number of setbacks. The encounter was tough from the start, as seen by the injury suffered by their captain, Andy Robertson, following a hard tackle with Simon. In addition, their goal’s denial sparked an intense discussion that persisted long after the game.

Still, their quest for achievement is far from over. To reach the finish line, Clarke’s team still needs to win two games. Even though they lost, the Scottish players left the field to a wild cheer from their fans who were traveling to Spain. The atmosphere had all the makings of a memorable evening, but the cruelest of blows shattered it.