Question Number: 14416

Kicks From The Penalty mark 11/11/2006

RE: High School

James A. Finkelstein of San Rafael, CA USA asks...

There is a penalty shootout. The player strikes the ball and it hits the goalpost and is rolling away from the goal line (a few feet off the goal line). The goalie, in his dive, has the ball hit his foot after it hits the goalpost and is rolling away from the goal and the ball goes back into the net. Does the normal "rule" about kinetic energy apply? Or at what point is the ball dead and the PK over?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Goal! This portion of Law 14 clarifies that for us...When a penalty kick is taken during the normal course of play, or time has been extended at half-time or full time to allow a penalty kick to be taken or retaken, a goal is awarded if, before passing between the goalposts and under the crossbar:

the ball touches either or both of the goalposts and/or the crossbar, and/or the goalkeeper. For the sake of kicks from the mark we follow this procedure.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Here is the pertinent paragraph from the Laws of the Game:

When a penalty kick is taken during the normal course of play, or time has been extended at half-time or full time to allow a penalty kick to be taken or retaken, a goal is awarded if, before passing between the goalposts and under the crossbar:

the ball touches either or both of the goalposts and/or the crossbar, and/or the goalkeeper

In the NFHS High School Soccer Rules this is the pertinent rule:

If the ball touches the goalkeeper before passing between the goal posts, when a penalty kick is taken at or after the expiration of time, it does not nullify any goal. If necessary, play may be extended so that the penalty kick may be taken. If a penalty kick is taken after the expiration of time [7-1-4 Exception], (a) only the kicker may play the ball and he/she may only play the ball once; (b) the ball is in play until its momentum is spent, it goes out of bounds, or is retouched by the kicker.

It is evident the writer from the Marine Independent Journal and the coach were woefully under equipped to argue intelligently about the subject.

It seems the referee was correct in his decision.

Regards,