John McGinn fumes at officials saying ‘I need to be very careful what I say’, after Scott McTominay’s wonder free-kick was disallowed following a VAR review during Scotland’s 2-0 defeat by Spain 

• John McGinn has hit out at officials after Scotland’s 2-0 defeat by Spain
• Scott McTominay had a stunning goal disallowed following a VAR review 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’

Scotland star John McGinn pointed the finger at Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk after Steve Clarke’s side went down bravely to Spain in Seville.

Needing a point to secure qualification for Euro 2024, Scott McTominay’s free-kick appeared to have given the visitors the lead just before the hour mark only for it to be chalked off in controversial circumstances.

Alerted by VAR to a possible infringement, Gozubuyuk went to the pitch side monitor – with the reason for the goal being ruled out initially given in the stadium as a foul by Jack Hendry on keeper Unai Simon.

Although later clarified to be offside, McGinn was clearly fuming at the ref’s display, while TV pundit Michael Stewart claimed the goal should have stood in any case because the Scotland defender wasn’t interfering with play.

A dejected Scotland then went behind when Spain skipper Alvaro Morata guided home a 79th-minute header. Subs Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong missed chances to earn Scotland the point they needed before Oihan Sancet put the game to bed four minutes from time after a slip by Aaron Hickey.

Scott McTominay (left) had a stunning free-kick ruled out during Scotland’s 2-0 defeat by Spain

After full-time John McGinn vented his frustrations about how the game was officiated  

Midfielder McGinn said: ‘The big moments went against us. It’s a tough one to take but we certainly competed for long spells.

‘It is very difficult to win here but in the circumstances it was near enough impossible.

‘I need to be very careful what I say. I think everyone from a Scotland point of view, whether you were on the pitch, in the stand or in the dugout, it just felt like we weren’t getting a decision.

‘Fifty-fifty balls, going in for fair challenges and not getting them. It made it extremely difficult against a word-class team to try and get anything from the game.’

On the disallowed goal, McGinn added: ‘He changed it (the decision) in the game, which is the frustrating thing.

‘It shows that it was not clear and obvious. I am not sure if clear and obvious is a European VAR thing but at that moment Jack made a decision to step to the other side and maybe he could have stayed.

‘Is he (Simon) going to save it? Absolutely no chance, no keeper in the world is going to save that.

‘He is saying at one point it is a foul and then he changes it when he realises it is not a foul to offside. It is a big, big moment.

‘It does change it because that goal qualifies us because they need two goals. It is a bit of a hammer blow. I feel for big Scott. Sometimes they go for you but tonight it was never going to go for us.’

McTominay looked to have put Steve Clarke’s side a goal up on the 60th minute 

But the referee was asked to look at a replay of the free-kick and subsequently chalked the sublime goal

After the match McGinn admitted his frustrations over referee Serdar Gozubuyuk’s decision to overturn the goal

Manager Clarke was equally bemused as to why the goal hadn’t stood.

‘I’m disappointed for the players. It was a really good performance,’ he said. ‘Spain knew they were in a game. Obviously the game turned on a small margin.

‘If it’s offside or a foul, I don’t know what he gave it for, to be honest.

‘I think because he looks offside and then he (Hendry) steps towards the goalkeeper, maybe because he makes contact with the goalkeeper, maybe they then give it as offside.

‘But it’s a small margin, eh? Instead of being 1-0 up, 15 minutes later we are 1-0 down. And then it’s a tough night.

‘Listen we created some really good chances in the game.

‘It’s disappointing tonight but we are still in a really good position.

‘It’s always got to be difficult when you score a goal and someone takes it off you.

‘But I thought the players reacted okay. They reacted quite well.

‘You can show the Scott McTominay goal as many times as you want. We’re not getting it. It’s gone. You have to try and move on.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke (right) was also bemused that the goal had not stood claiming he didn’t know why the referee disallowed the goal

Soon after, Alvaro Morata found the back of the net to give Spain the lead with a diving header

Scotland also lost Andy Robertson during the match, who was substituted with a shoulder injury

‘The second goal was really unfortunate. It’s puts a little bit of an unfair shine on the game. I didn’t think we deserved to lose, to be fair.’

With Norway winning 4-0 in Cyprus, the quest for qualification goes on.

But Clarke’s men will be assured of a place in Germany with two games to spare this Sunday if Norway fail to beat Spain in Oslo.

Even then, Clarke’s men still have two games against Georgia and Norway to cross the line.

Skipper Andy Robertson will miss the friendly with France on Tuesday after suffering a shoulder injury when he clashed with keeper Simon in the first half.

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