Roy Krishna goal sparks major offside debate after clear second touch

Fiji captain Roy Krishna’s opening goal against Solomon Islands at the MSG Prime Minister’s Cup has generated major debate after supporters examined the available broadcast replay.

Some fans have argued that there cannot be an offside offence because the move began with a Fiji corner kick. That rule is correct only when a player receives the ball directly from the corner.

But that is not what appears to happen in this case.

The replay shows a Solomon Islands defender, No. 4, attempting to deal with the cross and failing to make contact. More importantly, the ball is then clearly flicked upward by a Fiji player inside the six-yard box and sent back into the area where Krishna is waiting close to the goal line.

That second Fiji touch changes everything.

Once a teammate plays or touches the ball after the original corner delivery, the corner-kick exception no longer applies. The normal offside law must then be judged from that moment. The question is not where Krishna was when the corner was taken, but where he was when the ball was flicked back into the danger area.

The footage strongly suggests that Krishna was in an offside position – you can watch it here. He appears to be behind the goalkeeper, extremely close to the goal line and ahead of the second-last Solomon Islands defender when the upward ball is played. If he then touches the ball or becomes involved in the action leading to the goal, the offside flag should be raised.

That is why the argument that “there is no offside from a corner” does not make sense in this particular situation. The goal did not come directly from the corner. It came after a clear second attacking touch.

There was no VAR review in the match, and the broadcast camera does not provide the calibrated lines or perfect angle used in major international competitions. Therefore, no replay can replace the decision made by the referee and assistant referee on the field. However, the available images provide a strong basis for the controversy and suggest the goal should have received much closer scrutiny.

The incident did not alter the official result, with Fiji and Solomon Islands drawing 3–3, but it has remained a major talking point among supporters.

Another detail has added to the debate. Some fans on social media have said that the disputed goal was not included in the match highlights video they watched. They have suggested it may have been left out to avoid further controversy. There is no official confirmation that the goal was deliberately removed, but the claim has increased calls for the full footage to be made available.

Image Credits: Eliud Media