Question Number: 13564

Kicks From The Penalty mark 8/25/2006

Rick S of Seattle, WA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 13539

Hi refs! Please help me understand this; I'm confused on this one:

I completely agree with you in the fact that an injured keeper may be substituted during the shootout however I am a bit unclear as to the timing of events in this question and if, in this case, the substitution could be permitted:

The question suggests: the injury happened to the keeper during a shootout and a sub is getting ready to enter the field. Before the injured keeper left he strikes an opponent.

If this were during normal play, the injured keeper (or anyone) remains a player until he has left the field and the sub becomes a player when he enters (Law 3). By this, I would be inclined to send off the keeper and require the team to play short. Obviously a player would have to assume the position of keeper before play restarted. So, I'm confused: during the shoot-out, does the loophole that says an injured keeper may be replaced from the bench override the fact that he committed VC before he left/before the sub entered? If the substitution is NOT permitted doesn't the other team have to pull a player so that the teams are "balanced" for the completion of the shoot out? Please help clarify this for me!!

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Good thoughts Rick. The reduce to equate happens before kicks from the mark start so if this happens before they start you can even things out, otherwise the sides will have a different number of players for the rest of the kicks from the mark. Timing on substitutes is critical because, as you say the substitute becomes a player when he enters and only after the player being replaced has departed. In this case he has not left the field of play, he has been sent-off the field of play for violent conduct which he committed even though injured. A sent off player is not replaced. The new goalkeeper must be one of the outfield players presently on the field.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If the keeper is injured after the kicks start he may be substituted for. However, if on the way off the field, he commits Violent Conduct, he is sent off and shown the red card. The substitution never took place because the keeper never left the field and the substitute never made it on. Now the keeper's team has to continue the kicks a man short and a player on the field must now become the keeper.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

This is a critical thinking situation. First off, the team may sub in for the injured keeper. The new player is not a player and should not enter field until the keeper is off. Thus if keeper commits violent conduct, he is shown the red card and now his team plays a man short.