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Referee Misapplies New IFAB Penalty Rule in Copa Argentina Shootout

The mistake underscores uneven enforcement of the retake requirement after accidental double touches.

Overview

  • In a Copa Argentina shootout, referee Nahuel Viñas disallowed Walter Montoya’s converted kick for a double touch and did not order the required retake.
  • The IFAB update in force since July 1, 2025, says a penalty must be retaken when the taker unintentionally touches the ball twice and the shot goes in.
  • The same rule treats an accidental double touch with no goal as an indirect free kick or, in a shootout, a missed attempt.
  • Gimnasia y Tiro de Salta advanced over Gimnasia y Esgrima de Mendoza, and no change to the result has been reported.
  • Reports note that neither the assistants nor the fourth official nor the teams flagged the error, and the rule is widely known as the ‘Ley Julián Álvarez’ after the Champions League incident that prompted the change.