Question Number: 20850

Kicks From The Penalty mark 2/15/2009

RE: Select Other

bill merriman of Nanaimo, BC Canada asks...

When a PK is taken and the keeper gets a hand on the shot ,the ball travels forward hits the ground then spins back into the net ,is the goal counted?

This is in the course of decided a cup final after OT.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

If the referee has NOT prematurely blown the whistle to end the opportunity then the goal is good. Although the keeper contacted the ball, he did not control or possess it. The ball deflected OFF the keeper and through its OWN momentum imparted at the pk freekick, the ball carried forth and spun into the goal.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Bill. First, what you are talking about is not a penalty kick. It's a kick from the penalty mark which is a big difference. If it were just a pk, you wouldn't be asking the question because of course this would be a goal if it were a pk. The answer is actually the same for a kick from the penalty mark. There is a mistaken belief out there in soccerworld that if, at the taking of a kick from the penalty mark, the ball is initially prevented from going into the goal, the kick is over. This is not true. The kick is over when the ball goes out of play or the momentum of the ball (or, if you prefer, the kinetic energy imparted to the ball) is spent. If the keeper stops the ball from going into the net but doesn't catch the ball the ball may spin backwards into the net and a goal would be scored. As Ref Dawson points out, one of the ways the ball may go out of play is if the referee blows his whistle. Were that to occur before the ball crosses all the way over the goal line between and under the goal posts/crossbar, there would be no goal.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The International Football Association Board have anticipated this question and answered it by saying this in Law 14:

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.

What is not said is did the referee anticipate what happened and hold his whistle? If he did the goal is scored, if he blows the penalty kick is over.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Count the goal as it was scored legally.