Argentina’s Florencia Bonsegundo converted a retaken penalty in stoppage time to seal a staggering comeback from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Scotland, a result that has eliminated Scotland in “farcical” and cruel scenes.

Kim Little, Jen Beattie and Erin Cuthbert put Scotland 3-0 up after 69 minutes.

Scotland had one foot over the line into the knockout stages of the tournament.

In the next 20 minutes, their dreams turned to ash.

Milagros Menendez replied with Argentina’s first goal of the tournament in the 74th minute.

Sporting Huelva forward Bonsegundo scored a second five minutes later, although the effort was judged as an own goal as her shot went in off goalkeeper Lee Alexander.

With two minutes left, after an agonising VAR review, Argentina were handed a penalty.

Alexander saved Bonsegundo’s tame first effort, but VAR caught the goalkeeper straying off her line by mere inches and the Argentine converted her second effort.

To make matters even worse, the penalty was awarded in dubious circumstances right after the moment play was allowed to resume while Scotland were still sorting out its final substitution of the match.

With Scotland unable to set its defence, Aldana Cometti was able to get in behind the defence and was pulled down in the box.

VAR then came into play — and Scotland’s death sentence was signed off.

You tell me if this keeper is off her line. I think this is one of the most harsh VAR rulings I’ve seen and essentially knocked Scotland out of the World Cup. #WWC2019 #VAR pic.twitter.com/qOIY3isHB4 — Emmett McConnell (@emcconnell92) June 19, 2019

In one final insult to Scotland, the full time whistle was blown immediately on the resumption of play after the penalty — with officials simply forgetting two minutes of game time were left on the clock when the spot kick was awarded. It meant Scotland were denied a last chance to chase a winner.

The draw left Scotland on one point, bottom of Group D and eliminated.

Argentina have two points and can only advance as one of the four best third-place finishers if the games between Cameroon and New Zealand in Group E and Chile and Thailand in Group F both end in draws.

As reported by The Sun’s Bill Leckie, it was the cruellest of circumstances to be going out on.

So cruel, so heartbreaking. So near and yet so bloody VAR.

There were floods of tears at full time as it dawned on Scottish players that their tournament was over.

They were so close to becoming the first team in Scottish football — men or women — to make it out of the group stage of a World Cup.

Leckie described the drama and the decisions that went against Scotland as “un-freaking-believable

“It was a nightmare, a horror story,” he wrote. “A scenario more Scottish than deep-fried drizzle.”

Scotland players were reportedly “beside themselves” on the full time whistle.

Scotland captain Rachel Corsie told the BBC in an emotional interview on the field that she cannot believe the referee blunders that cost her side a spot in the last 16.

“I thought we were outstanding. We just weren’t going to get the decisions and that was the bottom line,” she said.

“The third goal is ridiculous. It was clear for everyone to see that we were still making a substitution. I don’t understand how that can be allowed at this level.

“They’re making the rules really, really strict and we were making a substitution while we were defending a free-kick and for some reason the referee has allowed the play to continue. It’s just really, really sore that that is what has ultimately cost us the tournament.”

Scotland goalkeeper Lee Alexander says she was “devastated”. “It should have been three points. We’re absolutely gutted,” she said. “We feel very hard done by over the three games.”

Scotland coach Shelley Kerr described the refereeing decision to allow play to continue as they made a substitution “an absolute farce”.

“Some of the decisions were appalling to say the least,” she said.

“There is a ball on the pitch and they play on, we try and make a substitution and we can’t, it’s just an absolute farce, but it doesn’t take away the fact we were comfortable in the game and conceded three goals.

“We will look back. We are all gutted just now.”

Other football commentators were furious about the injustice dealt to the Scots.

I’m a fan of VAR... But that’s a ridiculous decision once again against Scotland...all penalties would be retaken if goalkeepers are getting called for that... — Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) June 19, 2019

I might be absolutely raging at the injustice of the way @Kerr5Shelley’s @ScotlandNT women’s team have been treated, they’ve done the most incredible job getting to the first World Cup in 21 years of any Scotland team.



They absolutely played their socks off. #Proud #SWNT 💪⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 — Hannah Bardell 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏳️‍🌈 (@HannahB4LiviMP) June 19, 2019

😡 Ridiculous. Seriously.



Scotland are out of the Women's World Cup because VAR farcically decides Lee Alexander was a millimetre off her line when saving a last-gasp penalty.



Gets retaken, Argentina equalise.



Yes, 'rules are rules' but come on.#SCOARG #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/kwWtgSehKB — Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) June 19, 2019

Cannot believe what I’ve just witnessed. Absolutely gutting. Where’s the added time? #VAR has ruined Scotland’s World Cup. #fact — Emily Thomson (@emilythomson11) June 19, 2019

MADNESS!



Before the tournament, we gave #ARG just a 15% chance of advancing into the R of 16.



Before the game today, we gave #SCO a 53% chance of finishing third in Group D.



The magic and craziness of the World cup.https://t.co/LGeFwq9HQr pic.twitter.com/mww72JDZ4W — Tony Chow (@Tonyhkchow) June 19, 2019

What actually just happened in that game? The standard of football well outweighs the standard of officiating, that was embarrassing at a World Cup. There was still well over 4 mins to play and the referee blows her whistle??? — Connie McLaughlin (@missconniemac) June 19, 2019

Absolutely sickening. VAR pen retake ludicrous but Argentina should never have been back in it. In the annals of glorious Scottish World Cup failures, this was right up there. — Stuart Millar (@stuartmillar159) June 19, 2019

— with AFP