Question Number: 14228

Law 16 - Goal Kick 10/23/2006

RE: Select Under 10

Ken McMahon of Dublin, OH USA asks...

The goal kick can be a most dangerous play for the team taking the kick. I have seen a couple of creative ways to try to get out of the situation with a keeper punting the ball.

While the intent seems shady in each case, I am not sure that the LOTG are actually being broken in either case.

Scenario One: Keeper chips a goal kick to the sweeper who is standing just outside the Area. The sweeper heads the ball back to the keeper who scoops up the ball and punts it safely away.

Scenario Two (a bit more creative): Sweeper takes goal kick with the goalie positioned near the top of the box. The sweeper hits the ball on the ground so that it goes past the keeper and just beyond the area. The keeper goes out of the area and retrieves the ball and dribbles it into the Area, scoops up the ball and punts it safely away. Is this ever (always)legal? Is it dependent upon the intent of the kick and/or direction of the kick?

Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Scenario 1: This is legal provided the ball left penalty area before it was headed.

Scenario 2: This could be considered a deliberate pass back to keeper and an IFk awarded to opponents.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Both scenarios involve getting around teaching the keeper to kick the ball some distance. In Ref Mueller's description of the second scenario he writes of a "pass back", this is a misstatement of what the Law forbids. The Law prohibits the keeper using his hands if the ball is deliberately kicked to him by a team mate. The kick "to" may be in any direction.

A goal kick is dangerous when the ball is kicked to an opponent who is just outside the penalty area. The corrective action is not to kick the ball to an opponent.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Scenario 1 is ok but if these kids are that skilled I find it hard to believe they can't simply kick the ball as required. 2. That's not going to fly with me. We have a teammate of the keeper deliberately kick the ball to an area where the keeper may collect it. He may dribble it back into his penalty area but he may NOT handle the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

I personally am sketchy about scenario 1. It would appear that they are trying to circumvent the LOTG. However, it's a tough sell and to the letter, scenario 1 does indeed have merit. Scenario 2 is clearly a keeper infringment of deliberately handling a ball passed to him (or to an area that the keeper can get) in his own PA. As Ref Contarino states, the keeper can dribble that ball back into the PA because the GK restart requirments have been satisfied. The keeper may not pick it up.

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

I would agree that the first scenario seems acceptable and also agree that tactically it makes little sense. The second scenario, however, is not acceptable. There are three factors that are to be considered in such a case: (1) was the ball kicked to the keeper; (2) was the kick deliberate; (3) did the keeper use their hands on the ball. The answer to all three in the second scenario is "yes" and an IFK should be awarded and the keeper dribbling back into the penalty area is not an issue. The above can considered a triangle for which all three sides (parts) must be present in order for the IFK to be awarded: foot, deliberate, hands. All the best,

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

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