An almost naked football supporter, a so-called streaking outside agent, enters field of play during an attack from HJK Helsinki in Finnish Veikausliiga. He runs through the penalty area and distracts the players.

When the streaker is still in the penalty area, one of the players from HJK Helsinki scores against RoPS. The referee initially pointed with his hand to the centre mark, a sign that he counts the goal. HJK players were cheering and after about 5 seconds the referee puts his hands to his ears and there might be a call from his assistant referee. Another twenty seconds pass by before the streaking supporter gets caught by one of the players. In the video below you can’t see if the referee walks to his assistant to hear his views on the situation.

When the fan gets escorted from the field, you see the referee walk back to the penalty area with the ball in his hand. He’s going for a restart of play with a dropball. The goalie is desperately calling his players back in defence positions, so they could block the ball if the attacker wins it after the dropball.

Did the referee do right thing? Have a look at the video from this streaking outside agent first.

Check page 66 of the latest Laws of the Game: “If, after a goal is scored, the referee realises, before play restarts, that there was an extra person on the field of play when the goal was scored:

• the referee must disallow the goal if the extra person was an outside agent and he interfered with play
• the referee must allow the goal if the extra person was an outside agent who did not interfere with play.

“

In my opinion definately confuses players in the penalty area and even walks just across the ball. I’d say: correct decision by the referee to cancel the goal. What’s your verdict?