Slovenian whistler Matej Jug was set to become the pantomime villain until Scotland’s stunning comeback against Norway rendered him an afterthought.
But footage of those two late goals from Lyndon Dykes and Kenny McLean that provoked ‘absolute scenes’ amongst the Tartan Army has thrust the ropey ref back under the microscope. He was primed to become public enemy No.1 after awarding the softest of penalties as Ryan Porteous got to grips with Erling Haaland in the box, not long after the striker had had a little kneel in the box after trying to escape the attentions of Jack Hendry. In fairness to the Man City powerhouse, Hendry was perhaps fortunate to get away with clinging onto his arm, so chalk another one up to Mr Jug.
Former Scottish ref Des Roache told www.safebettingsites.com : “Erling Haaland may be a sensational striker - arguably the best in the world right now - but he went down far too easily. Scotland should feel very hard done by although it was a real battle between Ryan Porteous and the Man City superstar.
"I have to say the incident when Haaland and Jack Hendry were grappling looked more of a penalty to me. But Haaland didn’t even claim for it.”
Jug's call to penalise Porto looked like being a costly one until the Scots shattered Scandinavian hearts. And the refereeing before that moment built up the sense of frustration amongst the visiting players and fans. A nothing booking for John McGinn wasn’t reciprocated for similar or worse Norwegian fouls. Kieran Tierney had his name taken for throwing his arms in the air, after Jug blew up following what seemed a perfectly legit tackle to win the ball.
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But his reaction to both Scotland goals has since been highlighted, understandably missed in the chaotic celebrations. We’re all used to refs signalling a goal by pointing back to the centre circle. It’s almost an unwritten rule - nothing specifically in IFAB’s laws of the game, but it’s well established by now. The referee during England’s win over Malta on Friday night did it immediately. Others haven’t when there’s cause for a VAR check, but there was no need for those after either Dykes or McLean’s glory moments.
Jug simply stopped ambling back towards the Norwegian goal and looked as stunned as their players as those in white wheeled off to celebrate. He may have been waiting on word from his VAR colleagues, but there was nothing for them to flag up.
Jug drew the ire of Irish fans in 2021 after a puzzling performance in their defeat to Portugal. He failed to spot Jeff Hendrick win the ball after an early penalty call, despite a painstaking look via VAR. Ronaldo, who was aiming to break the international goal record for his country, got away with a slap on Dara O’Shea. Aaron Connolly was denied a second half penalty, while Stephen Kenny was left angry at the delay the officials caused when he was trying to make subs, during which time Ronaldo headed an equaliser.
Of course, he then added a winner deep into injury time - time Ireland felt should not have been added on. Of course, it’s always a minimum, but that doesn’t stop the grievances. To make things worse, Jug was spotted apologising to Ronaldo for booking him after he celebrated by going taps aff.
It’s those things that chip away over a game to leave one side feeling they’ve perhaps been on the wrong end of a ref that they reckon comes across as “a homer.” Jug’s deference to Ronaldo, the star of the show, had shades of his attitude towards Haaland in Oslo. His decision not to book the striker for barging over Hendry at 1-0 was also a strange one given what he’d punished with a yellow until that point.
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