Arsenal let a two-goal lead slip as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Paris FC in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday, with Leah Williamson at the centre of a bizarre late incident. The Gunners were leading 2-1 when Williamson, the England captain, stopped a short goal-kick with her hand, believing it had not been taken and that she was the player due to take it. Paris FC were awarded a penalty, which Maeline Mendy converted to level the match. The result leaves Arsenal fourth in the Champions League table after their opening two games; a victory in the French capital would have put them second.
The incident came after the ball had gone out of play for a goal-kick. Arsenal goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez played a quick, short pass to Williamson. Williamson had her arm stretched out to stop the ball and place it so that she could take the goal-kick herself. Because the ball was stationary and on the field of play when Rodriguez played it, that was deemed to be the goal-kick instead of Williamson’s attempt. Williamson was therefore penalised for handball, and Mendy levelled from the penalty spot.
Arsenal felt aggrieved at the decision, but the guidance on such incidents states that awarding the penalty was correct. Law 16 of the International Football Association Board’s laws of the game says: “In goal-kick restarts, if the ball is stationary within the goal area and is kicked by any defending player, the goal-kick is considered to have been taken.” It adds that if, after the ball is in play, a player commits a handball offence, a penalty kick is awarded if the offence occurred inside the kicker’s penalty area. Law 12 also states: “It is an offence if a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm.”
There is recent precedent for the error. In November 2024, Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings committed an identical mistake in a Champions League match against Club Brugge. Brugge won a penalty that was scored by Hans Vanaken, and the Belgian side won the match 1-0. Villa boss Unai Emery described it at the time as “the biggest mistake I witnessed in my career.” Earlier that year, Arsenal centre-back Gabriel made the same mistake in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich. On that occasion, however, Arsenal were given the chance to retake the goal-kick. Then Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel said: “He [Gabriel] touched the ball with the hand because he thought it was not in game, but it was in game and the referee admitted it was in game and was handball.” Tuchel, now England head coach, also said the error in not awarding Bayern a penalty was a “kid’s mistake.”
Arsenal’s assistant coach Aaron D’Antino conducted post-match media duties and explained that the intention was for Williamson to take the goal-kick, while saying the club will use the incident as a learning experience. “If we’re looking at what we can control, it’s just passing the ball to Leah from what I remember seeing. The ball was still rolling and she [Rodriguez] was moving it to Leah for her to take the goal-kicks as we normally do,” D’Antino said. “So maybe the learning in that is how we get the ball to Leah, so we don’t put ourselves in that situation.”
Former Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie felt referee Iuliana Demetrescu got the decision wrong, despite the correct application of the laws. “For me, I just don’t even know how that happens. Leah knows it’s a goal-kick, she’s catching the ball. That’s shocking from the referee,” Beattie told Paramount+. “I would have been fuming and I would have been embarrassed if they gave that. This is not what they’re trying to do. It’s just beyond frustrating that that’s how they’ve tied the game.” She added: “Leah’s obviously going [to do that] because she’s going to take the goal-kick, not because she’s worried about the press or trying to change it – or panicking in any situation. Leah Williamson doesn’t panic in those moments, she knows what she’s doing. The goalkeeper knows what she’s doing as well.” Beattie concluded: “The referee has miscalled it.”