Why Leeds goal against Tottenham was allowed to stand despite inflatable ball

Why Leeds goal against Tottenham was allowed to stand despite inflatable ball

Leeds' equaliser against Tottenham in their 2-1 defeat was allowed to stand this afternoon due to the inflatable ball on the pitch not interfering with play.

Daniel Farke's men hauled themselves level through Noah Okafor's strike after Guglielmo Vicario pushed out an Anton Stach shot to the forward, and he converted.

The rules dictate that the inflatable ball must interfere with play for the game to be stopped
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The rules dictate that the inflatable ball must interfere with play for the game to be stopped

However, an inflatable ball from the home end was thrown onto the pitch, grabbing the attention of fans on social media.

It landed just in front of the goal, but out of the way of the matchball and also out of Vicario's eyeline.

And talkSPORT understands the inflatable was not deemed to be interfering with play.

The official protocol is that the referee should let play continue if the object is not interfering with play and then remove it at the earliest opportunity.

No beach ball goal

Infamously, talkSPORT's Darren Bent was involved in one of the strangest goals we've ever seen when he was at Sunderland.

In a game against Liverpool, the Reds fans launched an inflatable Liverpool beach ball onto the pitch.

It was bouncing around in the box as Bent found space to shoot.

The striker blasted in a shot that hit the beach ball, wrong-footed Pepe Reina and ended up in the back of the net.

The rules have since been changed, meaning we'll never have a repeat of that goal.

Leeds United's Swiss striker #19 Noah Okafor (L) scores their first goal past Tottenham Hotspur's Italian goalkeeper #01 Guglielmo Vicario during the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England on October 4, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /  (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
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Okafor's tap-in wasn't impacted by the inflatable on the pitchCredit: Getty
The beach ball goal is one of the strangest in Premier League history
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The beach ball goal is one of the strangest in Premier League history

Had the ball hit the inflatable and ended up in the net today, Okafor would have seen his strike ruled out.

What's happened in the game?

Tottenham opened the scoring through Mathys Tel's first Premier League goal of the season.

It came from a loss of possession in midfield, and Mohammed Kudus played a pass through for Tel.

He raced into the box and fired in a shot that took a wicked deflection off Pascal Struijk.

The shot looped into the net beyond Karl Darlow.

Okafor's equaliser came before half time after two huge misses at either end.

Mohammed Kudus celebrates his goal at Elland Road
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Kudus scored the decisive goal

Kudus missed from 14 yards after being picked out by Destiny Udogie, while Okafor skied one over from just inside the area.

But the visitors regained the lead thanks to Kudus.

Gabriel Gudmundsson failed to deal with a long ball forward, with it dropping for Kudus.

The winger drove infield and drilled in a strike that nicked off Struijk again and ended up in the back of the net.

He then angered the home fans by celebrating right in front of them, with stewards being forced to step in.

But it proved to be the key moment in the second half with Tottenham holding on.

In the process Spurs ended Leeds' unbeaten run of just over a year at home.

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