Ajax benefitted from one of the strangest rules in football in their 5-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday night.

The Dutch side claimed a resounding 5-0 win in the Europa League which moves them up to second in the overall table with 10 points from four games – with only Serie A side Lazio ahead of them in the rankings.

Bertrand Traore, Kenneth Taylor, Mika Godts, Brian Brobbey and Kian Fitz-Jim scored the goals at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

But it was the penultimate goal from Brobbey which was the most notable for an utterly bizarre reason.

Opposition goalkeeper Roei Mashpati had the ball in his own box for a free-kick and passed it out to his central defender to build out from the back.

The ball ended up wide on the left flank but as Ajax players chased to win it back, the whistle had already been blown.

There weren’t too many appeals from the hosts but replays showed that Mashpati had kicked the ball onto his standing foot, effectively meaning it was a double touch.

This has happened on occasion for a player taking a penalty and led to the goal being ruled out. But although it was very harsh and they were already 4-0 down, Mashpati was penalised for the same type of offence.

It led to an indirect free-kick, which had two players stand over it and roll to one another before Bobbey lined up to strike. Mashpati came rushing out of his goal and let a flurry of men stand on the line.

Brobbey smashed the ball home with serious venom and wheeled away in celebration.

Brobbey’s rocket of an effort produced his first goal since August, ending a goal drought for the former RB Leipzig striker.

Ajax return to action on Sunday when they take on FC Twente at De Grolsch Veste.