The Professional Referee Organization published an article on its website Wednesday detailing all the reasons Philadelphia's game-winning free kick Friday against Orlando City was against league rules and should not have counted.
The kick, taken by Union midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta, soared into the upper right corner of the net in the 90th minute, giving Philadelphia a 2-1 victory. Before the play, four Union players positioned themselves offside, behind the defensive wall, as a tactic to block goalkeeper Joe Bendik's sightlines.
In the article, PRO training and development manager Paul Rejer broke down why the goal should not have counted, saying, “There is a clear mandate from FIFA stating if a player is deliberately standing in an offside position as a tactic, he will be declared offside.