Question Number: 15384

Law 16 - Goal Kick 5/5/2007

RE: Other

pete atkin of rotherham, uk asks...

a player takes a goal kick , runs up to the ball turns and kicks the ball into his own net,is this a goal or a corner

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It's another goal kick, he gets to try again. The ball must leave the penalty area before it is in play, so this ball was never put into play.

The referee should also be considering just why this player has done this. Has he deliberately delayed the restart of play? Oops, caution time.

Was this the same goalkeeper who tried to score with the ball under his shirt in Q#15383? Second caution, he gets to go to the showers early and think up some other creative ways to mangle the Laws.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

that would be neither. The ball was never put into play as it did not leave the penalty area. restart is a goal kick. However, if the keeper had kicked the ball out of the penalty area and before it was touched by any player the wind blew it into the keeper's own net, the restart would be a corner kick as you cannot scored directly on yourself at any restart.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Notice how Ref Voshol allows the problem to go away! Well within the Laws of the Game to do this, too. If this is the same player who hid the ball then he needs an early bath, is begging for an early bath and who are we to refuse him?

Any free kick taken within a player's own penalty area must be kicked directly beyond the penalty area into the outfield before it is in play.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Actually neither since ball was never put in play. It would be a re-goal kick.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Goal kick. I would also wait for just a second to see if this guys coach is racing to the bench to get a sub into the match.

If this guy did this to waste time or make a mockery of the proceedings then he should be cautioned for delaying the restart of play or unsporting behavior - which ever is a better fit in the context of that situation.