Question Number: 19698

Law 15 - Throw In 8/5/2008

RE: Recreational College

Daniel of Louisville, Ky USA asks...

I'm quite sure a goal cannot be scored directly off a throw in. However, in a clip I've seen multiple times, can an own goal be scored? I didn't think so, but in the following clip, it appears as though the goal is put on the scoreboard, and the fans sure believe its a legitimate goal. The goal occurs at 1:15 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaLgj45Na9w Thanks for your answers, your site is a very enjoyable read.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I presume you mean #8 in that montage. If you look closely, the goalkeeper slightly kicks the ball - they've even got a replay of it. So the goal was not scored *directly* off a throw-in; it was scored off the deflection kick by the keeper.

I personally like the guy who scored off a bicycle kick - what was he thinking?

Thanks for your support.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Daniel, this goal is off the keeper's foot as shown in the slow mo replay. If the ball would have entered the net without the keeper's touch it would have been a corner kick. By the way, it would be the the same decision if the ball form a free kick by a defender enters his goal directly: a corner kick.