If an attacking player enters the penalty area and takes a penalty kick, resulting in a goal, what must the referee do?

The correct response in this scenario involves disallowing the goal and awarding an indirect free kick from the penalty mark because of the specific laws governing penalty kicks. According to the Laws of the Game, only the designated player who was fouled is allowed to take the penalty kick, and they must do so from the penalty mark. If the attacking player who took the penalty kick is also the one who entered the penalty area, their participation can result in a breach of the rules.

When an attacking player enters the penalty area prematurely while the penalty kick is being taken, it is considered an infringement of the laws because the player has not adhered to the restrictions during the kick. In such situations, the proper course of action for the referee is to disallow the goal scored and instead award an indirect free kick to the defending team from the penalty mark to rectify the situation.

This outcome reinforces the importance of adhering to the laws of the game, particularly in set-piece situations like penalty kicks, where specific procedures must be followed for the kick to be valid.