Bizarre Leah Williamson handball penalty for Arsenal gifts Paris FC late draw in Women's Champions League

A handball against Leah Williamson in the 87th minute erased a two-goal lead and left the Gunners with just two wins in their first six matches across all competitions

Sep 30, 2026 at 3:48 pm ET • 3 min read

Arsenal's poor start to the season continued, but not in the way that you'd expect, in a 2-2 draw with Paris FC in the league phase of the Women's Champions League. After going ahead by two goals by the 50th minute, it seemed like the finishing issues that had been plaguing Arsenal in the early going of the season were being put in the past; instead, they created new problems. Clara Mateo scored in the 72nd minute, but it's the 87th-minute penalty that's the story of this game. Nineteen-year-old Maeline Mendy dispatched it with ease, but it was a lack of awareness which led to the penalty even happening.

After the ball stopped moving, Arsenal keeper Misa passed the ball to center back Leah Williamson, who picked the ball up to steady it, thinking that she was taking a goal kick. But due to the ball coming to a complete stop, the referee determined that it was a handball offense, giving Paris FC the chance to level the match. While it's a rarely called offense, it's one that was put into effect, as this is a law of the game which can be enacted at the referee's discretion.

Take a look at the play:

In the procedure for goal kicks, the ball must be stationary and can be kicked from any point within the goal area by a player on the team with possession. When Misa finished rolling the ball forward, it came to a complete stop before it was then passed to Williamson, who picked the ball up to steady it for a goal kick. That leads to the second point of the goal kick procedure: that the ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves, which it did when it was kicked to Williamson in the box. If Misa had rolled it instead of kicking it, then there would be no issue, but since it was kicked, that's what led to the penalty being called and a disappointing Arsenal draw.

Paris FC have been a team on the rise in Women's Champions League play as they're making their third group or league phase appearance ever. All of them have come in the last four years, but they've been dominated by English teams, losing their last five UWCL matches since ending Arsenal's run in 2023-24 during the qualifying stages.

Arsenal have now only won two of their six matches in all competitions, with this being their third draw. While at least they aren't losing, this isn't the kind of form that will get them through the League Phase after a tough win over Koge to open things, or back to the top of the Women's Super League where they chase title holders Manchester City. There were moments where this game could've been put out of sight, but as long as Arsenal's finishing woes continue, Manager Renée Slegers will have a tough task ahead.

Someone has to step up into the void that Beth Mead left when she departed for City, and the chances were there as Alessia Russo took five shots against Paris FC, but a lot of them came from poor positions in the match. When games like this one go against you, it can be tougher to get back to basics, but Arsenal will need to do just that and put this wacky penalty situation firmly in the rearview mirror. Only the top four teams in the league phase advance directly to the final eight of Champions League play, while teams finishing fifth through 12th will see a team go into the qualifying stage of the playoffs, which Arsenal would like to avoid, but they can only do that if the goals start coming.