Rangers vs Hibernian: the Penalty Controversy

The game in a nutshell

If you’re a Rangers fan, you’ll know the feeling: you go into a match wanting to talk about football, patterns of play, and big moments — and you come out talking about one decision.

This was Derek McInnes’ first league game at Ibrox as Rangers boss, and it ended in a gut-punch: Rangers 1-2 Hibernian. Hibs went in front early, we battered away for long spells, finally got level late on… then got caught with a sucker punch just when it felt like we’d turned it.

And hovering over all of it? A penalty award that, in the stadium, felt like it came from nowhere.

The key moments (and why it felt so Rangers)

Hibs took the lead in the 12th minute when Josh Campbell converted from the spot after VAR sent referee Don Robertson to the monitor. The foul was given against Vanja Dragojevic for holding Jason Kerr at a corner — and it was, to put it mildly, controversial.

From that point, it became one of those afternoons where Rangers were constantly trying to force the issue while Hibs defended like their lives depended on it.

We had our moments:

  • Dragojevic nearly made amends with a long-range effort that dipped just wide.
  • Kanayo Megwa produced a huge goal-line block to deny Youssef Chermiti.
  • Chermiti then went off injured before half-time after clattering into the advertising boards — a massive blow.

Second half? It was siege football. Rangers pushed, probed, and threw bodies forward. The big one was Lawrence Shankland — he should have had his first goal for the club, but Raphael Sallinger got a touch and it came back off the bar.

Then, finally, the breakthrough:

In the 85th minute, Djeidi Gassama fired in a low cross and Hibs midfielder Miguel Chaiwa turned it into his own net. Ibrox erupted — not because it was pretty, but because it felt like we’d earned the right to be back in it.

And then… the sting.

Just after Gassama was denied by Sallinger at the other end, Hibs broke from a Rangers corner and Callum Wright’s deflected shot slipped past Ivor Pandur. 1-2. Full-time.

What Rangers did well (and what we’ll want more of)

There were spells where Rangers looked like the better side — especially after the break. We moved the ball quicker, got it into the strikers earlier, and played with more urgency.

But the frustration is obvious: we had the territory, we had the pressure, we had chances — and still needed an own goal in the 85th minute to get level.

McInnes basically said as much afterwards: we didn’t play forward enough in the first half, it was laboured, and we need to engage the strikers quicker and play with better tempo.

That’s the part Rangers can control.

The penalty controversy: why Rangers fans are raging

Let’s not dance around it: the penalty decision set the tone.

It was awarded after VAR intervention, and even the BBC match report notes it came as a surprise to “every single person in the stadium”. Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton summed up the grey area: “They’re both at it… every contact isn’t necessarily a penalty,” but he also pointed out Dragojevic “is not watching the ball, he’s watching the player,” which likely influenced the referee.

From a Rangers fan point of view, the issue isn’t just this penalty — it’s the wider feeling that the threshold changes week to week.

And that’s why Rangers launching a probe matters. It’s not about replaying the match. It’s about demanding clarity on:

  • Why the referee was sent to the monitor
  • What VAR considered “clear and obvious”
  • How that standard will be applied in future

McInnes didn’t hold back either: he said he’d seen it back and didn’t think it was a penalty, calling it “very soft” and saying he was surprised the referee was brought over.

The bigger worry: three games, no wins

This is where the emotion kicks in. Rangers are winless in McInnes’ first three matches, and the BBC notes we’ll now have to wait until at least late August for the first league win.

That’s not panic — but it’s pressure. And at Ibrox, pressure turns into noise fast.

Final word

Rangers fans don’t want special treatment. We want the same thing every supporter wants: clear standards, applied the same way, every week.

But we also need to be honest: if we’re dominating games, we have to be ruthless enough that one decision — however soft — doesn’t define the entire afternoon.

Because this one should’ve been a platform: first home league game under a new manager, a chance to settle nerves, a chance to build momentum.

Instead, it’s another night where the football is the backdrop — and the controversy is the main event.