Malik Tillman At Center Of Scottish Cup Controversy Resulting In Rangers Deliberately Allowing Goal

USMNT player Malik Tillman scored a controversial goal as Rangers beat Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup. In response, Rangers deliberately let Partick score.

USMNT starlet Malik Tillman scored a highly controversial goal as Rangers beat Partick Thistle 3-2 in the Scottish Cup on Sunday.

The fifth round game at Ibrox was poised at 1-1 in the 70th minute when Tillman hurt himself by overstretching his right leg.

After spotting Tillman's injury, one of his Rangers teammates kicked the ball out of play so that the 20-year-old could receive treatment.

The game eventually restarted with a Partick throw-in. Harry Milne threw the ball to Kevin Holt, who had planned to kick it forward and return possession to Rangers inside their own half.

But Tillman had not received the memo. He sprinted to close Holt down, tackled him and then dribbled around the goalkeeper to put Rangers 2-1 in front.

Partick's players were furious. Tillman was barged to the ground before both sets of players descended on the Partick penalty area as tensions threatened to boil over.

Malik Tillman pictured falling to the ground during an altercation with multiple players from Partick Thistle :: IMAGO/Colorsport

But Rangers manager Michael Beale resolved the situation by instructing his players to allow Partick to score an equalizer unchallenged.

They obliged as winger Scott Tiffoney was allowed to run with the ball from the center spot before shooting past Allan McGregor to make it 2-2.

Beale later explained that Tillman had been unaware of Rangers deliberately kicking the ball out because he had been looking the other way.

THIS MALIK TILLMAN GOAL FOR RANGERS WAS MADNESS!!! 😮

(via @ViaplaySportsUK) pic.twitter.com/2gEm904N8Q

— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) February 12, 2023

"Malik gets injured and we play the ball out," Beale told reporters. "Malik is down on the floor and he doesn't see that we have played the ball out.

"So by the time Malik gets up, he sees they have a throw-in and he puts his hand up to the referee as if to say: 'How have they got a throw?' and then he presses as he has been taught.

"He is completely unaware of the situation, of what has happened. I had to speak to my bench to make sure that is what they saw as well. Malik came over and I spoke to him and he confirmed it. So it [letting Partick score] was the right thing to do. I will tell you why it was the right thing to do. Malik Tillman is a fantastic young player and I don't want that hanging around his head.

"He has never cheated anyone in his life and as a football club we have high standards. We don't need to do that to beat Partick Thistle at home. It is not an easy thing to ask footballers to do because they haven't seen it but it was the right thing to do."

Rangers scored their winning goal in the 86th minute courtesy of James Sands.

Tillman joined Rangers on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich in July.

He played four games for the United States at senior international level last year but did not make the squad for the FIFA World Cup.