In the closing moments of Liverpool’s February 14, 2026 FA Cup tie at Anfield, 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha thought he had his dream moment.
Coming off the bench, the academy star latched onto a neat pass from Cody Gakpo, took one clean touch, opened his body, and bent a beautiful shot beyond Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele into the far corner.
The Kop exploded in celebration — it would have been his second senior goal and his first at Anfield — but the joy lasted only seconds before the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.
Replays shown on TNT Sports and shared across social media appeared to tell a different story. From several angles, Ngumoha looked clearly onside — level, if not slightly ahead at the exact moment the pass was played.
Freeze-frames lined up with the pitch markings seemed to confirm the decision was wrong. With no VAR in use during the early rounds of the FA Cup, the call could not be reviewed, and the goal was ruled out, denying the teenager a special milestone in front of a full home crowd.
Te bigger issue, however, has caused even more debate. Reports and fan analysis suggest the assistant referee was not in the best position to judge the play.
Frame-by-frame breakdowns circulating online indicate he was slightly behind the action and misread Ngumoha’s run against the last Brighton defender. Without technology to step in, the mistake stood.
Graeme Souness did not hold back when reacting afterward. In a clip that quickly spread online, he argued the replays showed the youngster was onside and questioned the standard of officiating, especially in matches without VAR. He also raised concerns about the impact such moments can have on young players trying to make their mark.
Supporters reacted with frustration across social media, with many convinced VAR would have corrected the decision.
Posts highlighted still images of the pass and called for technology to be introduced earlier in the competition. Several hashtags began trending as fans demanded better consistency and higher standards from officials.
For Ngumoha, it was a tough moment. The highly rated forward showed composure and quality beyond his years with the finish, and Arne Slot praised his contribution after the match. Many fans felt he fully deserved the goal and the memory that would have come with it.
Although Liverpool still secured a comfortable 3-0 win — with goals from Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Mohamed Salah — the controversy became one of the main talking points.
Instead of focusing solely on the performance and progression to the fifth round, much of the discussion centered on the disallowed strike.
The FA has not issued an official response, but the incident has reignited debate about VAR’s absence in the early rounds and the need for improved officiating standards.
While the result was never in doubt, many believe moments like this matter deeply — especially for young players at the start of their careers.
Ngumoha may have been denied the goal, but his talent was clear for everyone to see. The bigger question now is whether lessons will be learned from another officiating controversy that has left fans frustrated once again.
