In a crucial English Premier League clash at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace hosted Manchester United and went into the break leading 1-0 thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta. The French forward had become the centre of attention after a penalty goal he initially scored was disallowed due to a double touch, only for him to convert on his second attempt.
The incident occurred in the 31st minute when Lenny Yaro brought Mateta down inside the penalty box. The referee awarded the spot-kick, and Mateta confidently struck the ball into the net. The scoreboard momentarily read 1-0, but VAR intervened and showed that the Frenchman had touched the ball twice before it was played, leading to the goal being ruled out.
However, Mateta did not allow the setback to unsettle him. Under the new International Football Association Board (IFAB) rules, penalties that are accidentally struck twice may be retaken. Taking advantage of this, Mateta calmly deceived Manchester United goalkeeper Lamens with a low shot to the right, sending the ball into the net and securing Palace’s lead at half-time.
The rules on double touches previously prohibited the penalty taker from touching the ball a second time until another player made contact. The issue gained widespread attention last season in the Champions League when Julian Alvarez’s penalty for River Plate was disallowed against Real Madrid due to a double touch, costing Atlético Madrid in the process.
IFAB updated the laws from 1 July this year: if a penalty involves an accidental double touch and the shot is successful, the penalty must be retaken. If the initial shot fails, an indirect free-kick is awarded to the defending team during normal play, or it counts as a miss in a shootout.
Mateta’s composed second strike demonstrated the impact of the new rule in real time, sparking discussions about fairness, technology, and the evolving laws of modern football.
