Leah Williamson handball penalty was the correct call as Arsenal blow two-goal lead in Paris FC draw
Arsenal let a two-goal lead slip in a 2-2 Women's Champions League draw with Paris FC on Wednesday night, with a bizarre error from England captain Leah Williamson proving costly — and, according to the laws of the game, the decision to award the resulting penalty was the correct one.
With the Gunners leading 2-1 late on in the French capital, Williamson stopped a short goal-kick with her hand — believing it had not been taken and that she was to take it herself — resulting in a penalty being awarded to the hosts, which was converted by Maeline Mendy.
The unusual incident leaves Arsenal fourth in the Champions League table after their opening two games, but they would have been second with a victory at Stade Jean Bouin.
How the bizarre incident unfolded
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.
But with the ball stationary and on the field of play when Rodriguez played it to Williamson, that was deemed to be the goal-kick instead of Williamson's attempt. The England captain was therefore penalised for handball, and Mendy levelled the match from the penalty spot.
What do the laws say?
While Arsenal felt aggrieved at the decision, the guidance on such incidents states that the decision to award a penalty was correct.
Guidance from Law 16 of the International Football Association Board's (Ifab) laws of the game states: "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: "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 from Ifab also states: "It is an offence if a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm."
Has this happened before?
Yes — more than once, and even to Arsenal themselves. In November 2024, Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings committed an identical error in a Champions League match against Club Brugge. Brugge won a penalty that was scored by Hans Vanaken, with the Belgian side winning the match 1-0.
"The biggest mistake I witnessed in my career," said Villa boss Unai Emery at the time.
Earlier that same year, Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães made the mistake in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich — although in that instance the Gunners were given the chance to retake the goal-kick.
"He 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," said then-Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel. The now-England head coach also described the error as a "kid's mistake".
What has been said
Arsenal's assistant coach Aaron D'Antino conducted post-match media duties and explained that, while the intention was for Williamson to take the goal-kick, the squad 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," said D'Antino. "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, however, 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."
"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. The referee has miscalled it."
How the lead slipped away
Renee Slegers' side had looked in command at Stade Jean Bouin after going 2-0 ahead through Alessia Russo and Georgia Stanway, as reported in the match report published in the early hours of Thursday morning. Paris FC pulled a goal back to make it 2-1 before Mendy's freak penalty completed the comeback.
The draw leaves the Gunners fourth in the league phase after their opening two fixtures — knowing that a win in the French capital would have lifted them to second, and that freak moments like this one can define a European campaign.