Former Maccabi Haifa Defender Denied World Cup Goal After FIFA Review

Abdoulaye Seck, the former Maccabi Haifa defender, thought he had scored Senegal’s opener against Iraq on Friday in a 5-0 win, but a later review by the competition’s technical committee changed the official ruling and left him with an assist only. The match article was published on June 27, 2026 at 11:01.

Seck headed in a corner, but the ball also brushed Habib Diarra before going in. Because Diarra altered the ball’s path, the goal was ultimately credited to him, even though Seck appeared likely to score without the touch. Some critics in Africa argued the original award should have stood, with one post saying, “He headed it, it is his goal. The match committee did not bother to correct its mistake even after four hours. As if they do not care.” FIFA’s official site described it as “the slightest touch, but a touch.”

A different angle of the play showed that Diarra, normally a Sunderland player and making his first start, actually directed the ball so it did not simply deflect into the net. The article concluded that once the ball touched the turf and then Diarra, it was clearly an assist for Seck rather than his goal. Seck, now a free agent after leaving Maccabi Haifa, was booked and substituted in the 58th minute by Pape Sisse.

Senegal’s advance to the round of 32 is also set to bring Maccabi Haifa about $29,000 more. If Senegal is eliminated by England, the club will receive a total of $219,000 for Seck under FIFA’s bonus system, which pays $7,300 for a player who spent the previous two seasons at the club.