Mateta Penalty Retake Gives Palace 1-0 Lead vs United

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scored from the penalty spot to give his team a 1-0 lead over Manchester United at halftime in their Premier League match at Selhurst Park on Sunday, November 30, 2025, after officials allowed him to retake an initial successful effort ruled invalid due to a double touch.

The incident occurred in the 36th minute when Mateta was fouled in the penalty area by Manchester United defender Leny Yoro, prompting referee Rob Jones to award the spot kick. Mateta stepped up and struck the ball with his right foot into the bottom left corner, wrong-footing goalkeeper Senne Lammens. However, video assistant referee review revealed that the ball had brushed Mateta's left foot immediately after the initial contact, constituting an unintentional double touch.

Under a rule updated by the International Football Association Board on July 1, 2025, such accidental double touches on successful penalties now result in a retake, provided the infraction was not deliberate. Mateta calmly converted the second attempt, this time placing the ball low into the opposite corner to secure the lead. The referee announced the decision after VAR consultation, stating...