Question Number: 14417

Kicks From The Penalty mark 11/11/2006

RE: Competitive/Rec Under 15

Steve D of Mill Valley, ca US asks...

In a penalty kick shootout today, the ball was deflected by the keeper. It hit off the goalpost and rebounded back into the field of play, hitting the now-prostrate keeper in the back and rolling into the goal.

After a period in which the defending coach argued unsuccessfully that FIFA rules stipulate that a ball rebounding off of the post and back into play is a dead ball, the referees ruled it a goal.

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_4645019

I don't know that I've seen this before and can't find a citation about this one way or another.

Goal or no-goal?

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 Marin 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,

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 Richard Dawson

Good Goal if the the referee refrained from whistling play dead before the ball enters the goal. What often occurs is a referee whistles the play dead before the ball's momentume is finished and this in effect nullifies what COULD have been a goal!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I love it when coaches try to argue and quote FIFA rules to referees. The ball is in play until the keeper blows it dead OR the kinetic energy of the ball has dissipated. Nothing has happened here to stop play, so it's a goal