Emmanuel Fernandez Faces Scrutiny After Rangers Escape St Mirren Penalty Call

Posted : 10 September 2026

Super Eagles defender Emmanuel Fernandez was at the center of a major penalty controversy as Rangers secured a 1-0 victory over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday, September 9.

Rangers extended their winning run to four league matches at Ibrox. Bojan Miovski scored in stoppage time to settle a tense contest after St Mirren had threatened to take advantage of Rangers' missed chances.

The controversial moment came in the first half when St Mirren forward Ismeal Kabia entered the Rangers penalty area. Fernandez challenged the winger and appeared to catch his foot with his studs, but referee Don Robertson waved away the appeals. VAR also did not intervene. St Mirren's official match report confirmed that Kabia was caught by Fernandez inside the area, with no penalty awarded.

Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday later argued that St Mirren should have been awarded a spot-kick. He said Fernandez initiated the contact and questioned why VAR did not intervene after the referee missed the incident in real time.

Former referee Bobby Madden also reviewed the incident and said the contact met the criteria for a possible penalty under UEFA's Clear Lines guidance. Madden argued that Fernandez arrived late and stepped on Kabia's foot without playing the ball.

The decision became more significant because Rangers struggled to turn their first-half dominance into goals. St Mirren goalkeeper Jacob Chapman made several important saves, while Fraser Taylor later missed a good chance to put the visitors ahead.

Rangers eventually found the breakthrough in the 91st minute. Miovski reacted quickest inside the area to fire home and give Derek McInnes' side another narrow victory. The result moved Rangers into second place, five points behind leaders Celtic, who also won 1-0 against St Johnstone on the same night.

McInnes praised his team's first-half performance but admitted they needed to become more clinical in front of goal. St Mirren manager Craig McLeish was also proud of his players despite the defeat, particularly after they improved following the interval.

Fernandez completed the full 90 minutes as Rangers recorded their fourth consecutive Premiership victory. The Nigerian has started all six of Rangers' league matches this season and has played a key role in their recent defensive improvement.

The victory keeps Rangers firmly involved in the Scottish Premiership title race. Their next major test comes against Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final on Sunday, with Fernandez likely to face another demanding examination at the heart of the Rangers defence

Emmanuel Fernandez Faces Scrutiny After Rangers Escape St Mirren Penalty Call

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