Leny Yoro conceded a penalty at Selhurst Park after the Red Devils defender awkwardly tripped Mateta inside the area. ..Continue Reading
The French striker took the penalty himself and placed it into the bottom corner, though the finish looked strange, appearing to bobble into the net on first viewing.
VAR reviewed the incident and revealed that Mateta had actually made two contacts with the ball, striking it against his planted foot with his right boot.
Previously, that situation would have resulted in the effort being disallowed for a double-touch, but the rules have since been updated.
Under the current laws, an unintentional double-touch means the penalty should be retaken, so Mateta stepped up again to challenge Senne Lammens.
On his second attempt, he aimed for the opposite corner, but the outcome was identical, with the Palace forward scoring once more.
In June this year, the rule surrounding ‘double-touch’ penalties was revised following Julian Alvarez’s penalty in Atletico Madrid’s Champions League last-16 loss to Real Madrid, which was controversially cancelled.
Alvarez saw his goal ruled out after slipping and making contact with his supporting leg – and Real Madrid ultimately advanced to the quarter-finals.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) later issued a clarification to Law 14, confirming that penalties involving a second, ‘clearly unintentional’ touch would now be retaken—provided the kick resulted in a goal.
‘UEFA will immediately implement the clarification provided by IFAB of Law 14 with regard to cases of double touch of the ball by the player taking a penalty kick,’ an official statement on UEFA’s website read.
‘Consequently, all UEFA matches, starting with the UEFA Nations League semi-final between Germany and Portugal on 4 June 2025 will now be played under the new interpretation of Law 14.
‘FIFA confirmed that this will be the case for European Qualifiers too.’
The Premier League announced the adjustment before this season began, stating in ‘What’s new in 2025/26: IFAB Laws and Premier League Football Principles’: ‘An accidental double touch of a penalty by the kicker would mean that the spot-kick should be retaken.
‘A deliberate touch will see an indirect free-kick awarded to the defending team.’
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