"You Make the Call" Archive

During the game, a defender facing his own goal attempts to pass the ball back to his own goalkeeper. In doing so he overhits the pass and the ball heads toward his own goal. The goalkeeper takes two steps backwards and makes a save, punching the ball over the goal line.  What is your decision?

Note of Clarification: 
I assume that for most of you it was clear, and I must admit I was wrong, that, in Situation #105, if the ball continued to roll towards the goal after it had been handled by the goalkeeper the referee should apply advantage, and if the ball crosses the goal line, the goal should be awarded. If the anticipated advantage does not materialize, the handling of the ball by the goalkeeper must be punished by the award of an indirect free kick, etc...etc...

Situation #105 Survey Results:
Indirect Free Kick: 125
Corner Kick:   56
Send-off:   11

Answer:
The referee should award an indirect free kick against the goalkeeper's team from the place where he touched the ball with his hands, subject to the special circumstances of Law 8. No cards need to be issued. 

In this situation, the goalkeeper infringes Law 12 at the moment he touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by his teammate. After that, everything else is irrelevant. If you award a corner kick, as some of you have stated, you are bypassing the Law.  Some of you also stated that the goalkeeper should be sent off because he denied the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity by an offense punishable by a free kick. For these individuals, I refer your attention to Law 12.Sending off Offenses #4 that specifically states that denying a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area. So, in this situation, a send-off is not in order.

-Vinnie Mauro

An attacker adjusting his jersey grabs the bottom of the jersey with both hands as the ball is played to him. He then proceeds to "catch" the ball with the bottom of his jersey (as a basket).   He does not touch the ball with his hands. He then lets the bottom of his shirt go and the ball drops to his feet and he kicks the ball into the goal his team is attacking.

What is your decision? Goal? No goal? Method of restart? Cards? Etc.

Responses:
1. No goal, direct free kick, caution:  59
2. No goal, indirect free kick, caution: 93 
3. Award a goal:       4

Correct Answer:
No goal. The referee should stop play and award a direct free kick to the defending team at the place where the attacker "caught" the ball (subject to the Special Circumstances listed in Law 8). If the incident was a blatant infringement of the Laws, than the attacker should be cautioned and shown the yellow card for unsporting behavior.

Even though the attacker did not touch the ball with his hands, his jersey should be considered an extension of his hands, which is why the direct free kick is awarded.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday season and a wonderful New Year!  Feliz Navidad!

Thanks again,
Vinnie Mauro

Scenario:  A direct free kick is awarded to Team A just outside their penalty area.  A1 takes the kick almost missing it completely and just hitting the ball with the side of his boot.  A1 realizes that the ball is headed for his own net and runs to the ball in an attempt to stop it before it enters the goal.  A1, while inside the penalty area, dives and deflects the ball with his hand over the goal line preventing the ball from going into his goal.  You are the ref, what is your decision?

Results of Survey:

I want to thank you all of you who took the time to get involved in this exercise. 

The results are as follows: 
1. Penalty Kick:  75 (52%) 
2. Penalty Kick and caution:  21 (15%) 
3. Penalty Kick and send-off:  19 (13%)
4. Indirect, second touch:  27 (18%)
5. Corner kick:  2 (1%)
6. Retake free kick:  2 (1%)

Answer to Situation #107:

Player A1 has committed two (2) offences simultaneously-1) playing the ball a second time before it had been played by another player and 2) deliberately handling the ball. Since these two (2) infractions happened at the same time, we will punish the more serious offence- handling the ball-and because the offence happened within the penalty area, a penalty kick would be awarded in favor of Team B.

Player A1 would not be sent off and shown the red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity since A1 cannot score against his own team directly from a free kick.

Had player A1 let the ball enter the goal, the restart would have been corner kick in favor of Team B.

Had player A1 deflected the ball with his hand and the ball had entered the goal, a goal would be awarded to team B.

Scenario:  A player is penalized for offside outside the penalty area and an indirect free kick is awarded to the defending team.  A defending team player "knees" the ball back to his keeper for the re-start.  He literally kneels on the ground and using his knee, pushes the ball back to his keeper and the keeper picks it up inside the penalty area.

You are the ref, what is your decision?

Ladies and Gentlemen, here is the answer to situation #108: 

I want to thank you all of you who took the time to get involved in this exercise. 

The results of the survey are as follows: 
1. Retake free kick and caution defending player:  51 (23%)
2. Intentional pass to keeper, caution defending player and free kick to the opponents:  157 (72%)
3. Nothing:  10 (5%)

Answer to Situation #108:

Do not allow play to proceed.  Caution the player who "kneed" the ball back to his keeper for Unsporting Behavior.  The free kick must be retaken - the ball was not properly put into play, as it has not been "kicked".  It is "deliberate trickery" to circumvent the Law while taking a free kick.

Thank you for your participation!
- Vinnie Mauro

Click Here for More Situations...