REFEREE ACCIDENTALLY SCORES IN A MATCH; AND IT COUNTS

JOSEPH OMONIYI

A Dagestani referee has provoked fury by inadvertently scoring in a game that he was officiating.

The bizarre moment came shortly before half-time in the second round of the LFL Dagestan as Keyes DD faced Manas of Dahadaevskiy.

In the box overseeing a penalty kick, referee Atay Daudov saw the ball rebound off his head and into the empty net after the Keyes goalkeeper had saved the initial effort.

Despite fierce protestations from the hosts, Daudov, who had tried in vain to get out of the way of the ball, was unable to disallow the goal as footballing rules dictated that play was still active.

Yet in a quirk of fate – one that undoubtedly benefits both parties – with an official unable to be named as an official goal-scorer, the effort was instead awarded to penalty taker Ali Japarov.

Buoyed by their huge slice of good fortune, visitors Manas came back to draw a topsy-turvy match 4-4.