Latest news with #Portales
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Dundee fan voice: 'Hard done by on offside call, but didn't do nearly enough to win'
I should be writing about two sensational volleys from Antonio Portales. Instead I'm forced to vent about VAR. Saturday started so promisingly when it looked like Portales had scored a second worldie of a volley just before half-time. However, in Scottish football we can't have nice things, so the goal was ruled out for a bizarre offside call. Clark Robertson, for me, did not interfere with play and his sin was merely existing in an offside position. Dominic Thompson goes to clear the ball regardless of what the Dundee defender is up to – and thus Robertson's actions clearly had no impact on Portales' finish. Even if one were to make the argument he moved towards the ball and that's enough for an offside offence to be considered, that would imply that if Robertson had taken a half step 30 degrees to each side instead then it's suddenly alright? Nonsense. It's no wonder all pundits are unanimous on this being an awful decision from VAR, maybe even the worst one seen all season. Had the goal stood, no one would have been calling for it to to be disallowed. On one hand, at 2-0 up the dynamic of the game completely changes if the second goal stands. Dundee have command of the game, a healthy lead at home. On the other hand, Dundee didn't do nearly enough to win the game in the second half, particularly when Motherwell went down to 10 men. So Dundee were viciously hard done by from poor officiating and also performed abysmally in the second half, both things can be true. In the end, Motherwell were worthy winners and Dundee once again found a way to lose a game by surrendering a lead they should never have lost. We should be going to Rugby Park with a weight off our shoulders, but we could potentially slump back to 11th this weekend. The pressure is ramping up as we are within touching distance of Ross County in the relegation play-off. It's three cup finals for Dundee, we simply can't afford anymore stale performances like that second half against Motherwell.
The Courier
05-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Ex-EPL ref's VAR verdict on Dundee's Portales disallowed goal
The decision to rule out Antonio Portales's super strike against Motherwell has been branded 'ridiculous' and 'poor' by Sky Sports Ref Watch. With Dundee leading 1-0 seconds before half-time, Portales fired in what appeared to be his second fine goal of the game. However, Clark Robertson was adjudged to have been offside by VAR official Calum Scott after making a move to get on the end of Joe Shaughnessy's knockdown before the ball fell to Portales. Dark Blues boss Tony Docherty was furious at the decision, calling it a 'disgrace'. And the panel on Sky Sports Ref Watch agreed. Former England international Sue Smith said: 'It's a ridiculous decision. 'We watched it how many times and what was it ruled out for? You couldn't see. 'Ruled out for that, I would be furious. 'It was a brilliant finish.' Ex-Cardiff and QPR striker Jay Bothroyd continued: 'That's such a poor decision for me. 'The defender got away with it really because it's a poor clearance. 'If that is cleared up the field, this doesn't happen. 'The attacker has kind of put his foot forward but pulled out of it so he hasn't actually impeded the defender. 'They have got really lucky there. 'The players didn't react. No one said that's offside, no one said he'd been fouled.' Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher was more reserved, as is his way. But he was in agreement that VAR should not have interfered and that Dundee's goal should have stood. 'The eventual offside is given for the No 3. You can't be offside from a throw-in, it gets headed there,' he explained. 'The VAR's opinion – because the goal was given on-field – was that Robertson actually challenged the defender. 'When you look at it, the defender clears the ball, he takes ownership of the decision and I think Robertson actually pulls out of the challenge to be honest. 'I think it was looked at too deeply for me. VAR will say differently obviously. 'I think the forward pulls out and the defender clears the ball not very well.' 🗣️ "It is a ridiculous decision." The Ref Watch team disagree with the officials who ruled out Antonio Portales' wonder strike for Dundee. More ⤵️ — Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) May 5, 2025 A second VAR intervention saw Motherwell defender John Koutroumbis red carded after being given a yellow on-field by referee Kevin Clancy. Asked if it was the right call, Gallagher responded: 'Yes. For me, the referee doesn't see it. 'You see where he hits him with his studs, not very nice, red card.'
STV News
03-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Docherty ‘hugely frustrated' by officials as Dundee go down to Motherwell
Dundee manager Tony Docherty claimed the decision to disallow what would have been a second goal for Antonio Portales against Motherwell was a 'disgrace' after the 10-man visitors fought back to win 2-1 at Dens Park. Portales had volleyed Dundee into a 31st-minute lead following a long throw and emulated the feat with a left-footed strike into the same top corner from the same source just before the break. But the strike was disallowed by video assistant Callum Scott because Clark Robertson had come back from an offside position to challenge for the ball with Motherwell left-back Dom Thompson after Joe Shaughnessy had headed it forward. The ball broke to Portales off the boot of either Robertson or Thompson. Tom Sparrow levelled in the 59th minute and Tawanda Maswanhise headed a stoppage-time winner as Motherwell refused to sit back following a VAR-assisted red card for Johnny Koutroumbis. Docherty said: 'I'm not abdicating responsibility as Dundee manager for losing the game. It's a game we should never lose. 'But we're in a situation now where we've got officials that are finding a way to disallow goals. 'There's no doubt the opposition gets a lift from that decision. We should be going in at 2-0. 'The officials contrive to find a way to disallow that goal. So I'm hugely frustrated by that. 'This game for spectators is all about entertainment and the entertainment comes from them watching their team score goals. You've seen the reaction of the fans when Antonio scores his second goal there. 'I just think it's a disgrace to have made that decision, which affects the dynamic of the game. 'They said Clark Robertson was in an offside position from the initial knock-on from the long throw. But, in my opinion, it doesn't affect anything in the lead-up to that play that Portales hits a left-foot shot into the top corner. 'If anything, it's Joe Shaughnessy that's challenging the player when it drops to Portales. 'Referees don't referee games anymore. What do linesmen do? Linesmen give throw-ins. There's no offside decision that gets made anymore. And it's continually getting these decisions wrong.' Docherty admitted his side were caught on the break too often after he brought on winger Charlie Reilly following the 80th-minute red card. 'We take off a defender, we put on an attacker, we go 4-4-2,' he said. 'And we shouldn't have lost that. It's a ridiculous goal to lose the match on and what could have been an important point.' Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer knew his side would win following the sending-off as they sealed William Hill Premiership safety. Wimmer, who brought on Ewan Wilson and moved to a back three after the dismissal, said: 'I was sure we would win the game because I had this feeling. 'I felt this energy on the bench, on the pitch, from the spectators. So I was not scared. I had the feeling we can win. 'I'm very proud of the guys and it was not the first time that we changed the result. 'It's a brilliant team, brilliant character and they deserve to stay in the league.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
03-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Motherwell secure top-flight survival with dramatic victory over Dundee
Tawanda Maswanhise headed a stoppage-time winner as 10-man Motherwell secured William Hill Premiership safety with a 2-1 victory at Dundee. The substitute sealed a second-half comeback despite Johnny Koutroumbis receiving a VAR-assisted red card in the 80th minute. Dundee had taken a half-time lead through a brilliant strike from Antonio Portales, who soon had a second goal disallowed. But Tom Sparrow levelled with Motherwell's first shot on target in the 59th minute and the visitors showed ambition after going down to 10 men. They came close on several occasions before Maswanhise rose to head Dom Thompson's back-post cross into the top corner in the first minute of time added on. The win moved the Steelmen 10 points above second-bottom Ross County with three games left while Dundee remain in a precarious position, two points ahead of the Staggies. Aston Oxborough was back in the Motherwell goal for the first time since breaking a bone in his hand in early January and he made his mark early on with an excellent stop from Oluwaseun Adewumi before getting up to save Ziyad Larkeche's follow-up. The goalkeeper then pushed away Joe Shaughnessy's header but he was motionless as Portales volleyed into the top corner from 16 yards in the 31st minute after a long throw. It was the Mexican defender's first league goal of the season and he looked like he had doubled his tally after another long throw. Portales hit an equally-impressive strike into the same part of the net with his left foot but the goal was disallowed by the VAR team for offside against Clark Robertson in the build-up. Motherwell were lacking a cutting edge and Callum Slattery failed to hit the target from their only two chances of note in the first half, hitting the first over the bar and being tackled by Shaughnessy as he weighed up a shot. Well boss Michael Wimmer brought on Maswanhise at the interval but there was little immediate improvement in the visitors' threat and Oxborough saved from Lyall Cameron. But Motherwell levelled as Sparrow got his second goal in as many games. Lennon Miller's run into the box made the difference and Sparrow steered the ball into the roof of the net when the ball broke. Josh Mulligan fired over from the edge of the Motherwell box and Cameron turned the ball just past his own goal following Maswanhise's square ball as both sides looked for a winner. The game seemed to have tipped in Dundee's favour when referee Kevin Clancy was called to the monitor by video assistant Callum Scott to re-examine a late tackle from Koutroumbis on Larkeche. Clancy had not awarded a free-kick but he booked the Australian before then upgrading the punishment to a red after studying the footage. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Motherwell looked the more threatening side in the closing stages. Substitute Ewan Wilson had a shot turned past the post by Trevor Carson and Dan Casey headed off the bar from the resulting corner. Maswanhise then stunned the home support and could have added to Motherwell's lead on the counter-attack before being denied by Carson and seeing Casey knock the rebound wide with the goal gaping. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Dundee 1 Motherwell 2: Maswanhise header seals top-flight survival
The substitute sealed a second-half comeback despite Johnny Koutroumbis receiving a VAR-assisted red card in the 80th minute. Dundee had taken a half-time lead through a brilliant strike from Antonio Portales, who soon had a second goal disallowed. But Tom Sparrow levelled with Motherwell's first shot on target in the 59th minute and the visitors showed ambition after going down to 10 men. They came close on several occasions before Maswanhise rose to head Dom Thompson's back-post cross into the top corner in the first minute of time added on. The win moved the Steelmen 10 points above second-bottom Ross County with three games left while Dundee remain in a precarious position, two points ahead of the Staggies. Aston Oxborough was back in the Motherwell goal for the first time since breaking a bone in his hand in early January and he made his mark early on with an excellent stop from Oluwaseun Adewumi before getting up to save Ziyad Larkeche's follow-up. The goalkeeper then pushed away Joe Shaughnessy's header but he was motionless as Portales volleyed into the top corner from 16 yards in the 31st minute after a long throw. It was the Mexican defender's first league goal of the season and he looked like he had doubled his tally after another long throw. Portales hit an equally-impressive strike into the same part of the net with his left foot but the goal was disallowed by the VAR team for offside against Clark Robertson in the build-up. Motherwell were lacking a cutting edge and Callum Slattery failed to hit the target from their only two chances of note in the first half, hitting the first over the bar and being tackled by Shaughnessy as he weighed up a shot. Well boss Michael Wimmer brought on Maswanhise at the interval but there was little immediate improvement in the visitors' threat and Oxborough saved from Lyall Cameron. But Motherwell levelled as Sparrow got his second goal in as many games. Lennon Miller's run into the box made the difference and Sparrow steered the ball into the roof of the net when the ball broke. Josh Mulligan fired over from the edge of the Motherwell box and Cameron turned the ball just past his own goal following Maswanhise's square ball as both sides looked for a winner. The game seemed to have tipped in Dundee's favour when referee Kevin Clancy was called to the monitor by video assistant Callum Scott to re-examine a late tackle from Koutroumbis on Larkeche. Clancy had not awarded a free-kick but he booked the Australian before then upgrading the punishment to a red after studying the footage. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Motherwell looked the more threatening side in the closing stages. Substitute Ewan Wilson had a shot turned past the post by Trevor Carson and Dan Casey headed off the bar from the resulting corner. Maswanhise then stunned the home support and could have added to Motherwell's lead on the counter-attack before being denied by Carson and seeing Casey knock the rebound wide with the goal gaping.
