Fans were puzzled by whether the goal from Jacuipense star Jeam was intended or not

Football fans have been left baffled by a goal for Brazilian team Jacuipense, which some have humorously touted as a potential Puskas Award contender.

The bizarre scenes came on the first matchday of the state championship in Bahia, which, alongside other equivalents in Sao Paulo and Rio, is a precursor to the national league kicking off in April.

The local tournaments feature big teams that compete in the Brasileirao Serie A, but also a number of minnows.

Two outfits that fall into the latter category are Jacuipense and Doce Mel (or 'Sweet Honey' in English), who faced off at Jacuipense's 5,000-seater Valfredao stadium on Saturday.

Deep into the second half, with the score deadlocked 0-0, number 9 Jeam found himself wedged between two Doce Mel men in the box as he attempted to meet a cross.

Going to ground, he appeared to trap the ball between his legs and then let off a stunning flick that lobbed a helpless goalkeeper and a defender trying to clear the ball off the line with the end product a 70th winner that sealed three points.

As footage of the goal spread, fans online mocked Jeam for forgetting all about a supposed knock in the collision with his opponents, which saw him ready to put in a penalty shout.

"Suddenly the injury was nonexistent" highlighted one observer.

"That guy was whining a second ago," pointed out another fan with a crying-with-laughter emoji.

"I watched it 10 times to understand," claimed a Brazilian.

"He was hurt and got up running to celebrate."

"In China they have Shaolin Soccer, here we have Capoeira Soccer," quipped a compatriot.

More commonly, the goal was jokingly talked up as a contender for the Puskas Award gong handed out to the best strike in a calendar year.

"I won't understand if it's not nominated," stressed another onlooker from South America's largest country.

"Jealous people will say it's not intended," it was also said.

But not everyone was duped, and one Twitter user provided a replay that showed Jeam might well have employed the infamous 'Hand of God' tactics seen by Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup for Argentina against England.

"Wow, nobody saw it," said the sharer of the original clip.

"Not even the Doce Mel players realized," replied a separate party, only to be told that other footage revealed how some of them protested that foul play might have literally been at hand.

(RT.com)