Question Number: 14901

Mechanics 2/26/2007

RE: Beginners Under 14

Mark Mayer of Cape Town, South Africa asks...

I have two questions...

1)If the referree awards an INDIRECT freekick and notifies the team of this, following which, the player attempts a direct shot at goal which is then saved by the goalkeeper without any other player touching the ball, what is the correct action to take, Retake of the freekick? Or awarding an indirect free-kick to the other team?

2)Also,if the goalkeeper attempts to clear the ball (drop-kick style) and it hits an opposition striker for instance as he is in front of the goalkeeper, is this seen as obstruction? I can imagine it is so when the opponent hinders play from resuming by obstructing the keeper in the big-box, but if the striker is standing outside of the big-box can he attempt to get in the way of a clearance legally?

Thank you

Mark

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

(1) The words "indirect free kick" describe the result of the kick, not the mechanics of it. Any free kick can be taken in any manner desired, as long as it is a kick. Some kicks have additional requirements, such as penalty kicks and kickoffs which must go forward. But the player is free to make any kicking motion he desires, hard or soft, long or short. Indirect simply means no goal can be scored until the ball is touched by another player.

So what was the result of this IFK? If the ball went into the net untouched by any other player, no goal can be scored. The restart would be a goal kick for the opponents. If the keeper saved the ball, no problem, we keep on playing and the keeper can punt, throw, do whatever he normally would do with a save. If the keeper attempts the save but bungles it, touches the ball but allows it to go into the goal, then the requirements for an IFK have been met. A second player touched the ball before the goal was scored, so it counts.

(2) Opponents cannot hinder the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands. That means they can't get in his way, and they can't run with the keeper. But if a player happens to be nearby and does not attempt to interfere, it is the goalkeeper's responsibility to avoid the player. That's one reason keepers are given 6 seconds to move around before releasing the ball. If an opponent prevents the keeper from releasing the ball, the restart is an indirect free kick from the spot of the infraction. If repeated, the player could be cautioned.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

1. Why would you have the referee do anything? A shot was taken. The keeper stopped it. End of story. Had the keeper not touched it and allowed it to go into the goal, a goal kick would have been awarded. All an "indirect" kick means is that a goal cannot be scored directly. 2. That depends. If the opponent is minding his own business and trying to retreat and the keeper kicks the ball into the back of this opponent, then continue play. If the opponent, in the opinion of the referee, does anything to hinder the keeper's ability to release the ball, then an IFK would be awarded to the keeper's team, and possibly a caution issued.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

1. Nothing play on. The kick has been taken. 2. If the defender was not challenging keeper, play on too. Keeper must move away.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

question 1) You ask What is the correct action to take?
Play on! any player includes the keeper as the 2nd touch
Retake of the freekick?
absolutely not!
Or awarding an indirect free-kick to the other team?
NO! ONLY if the ball entered the goal without touching any one but the kicker would it be a goal kick a deflection off the keeper into the goal would be a good goal!

question 2)in law 12 there is a specific point #3 and a point #2
An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player, in the opinion of the referee:
1)plays in a dangerous manner
2)impedes the progress of an opponent
3)prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands;
4)commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player

The keeper has six seconds to wander about and away from any opponent . If the keeper punts or throws the bal into an opponent standing inside or outside the PA is not an offence by that opponent unless he moved to intercept before that ball was kicked or thrown away by the keeper. Cheers