Question Number: 20851

Kicks From The Penalty mark 2/15/2009

RE: Competitive Adult

Scott Metson of Victoria, BC Canada asks...

This happened in a Cup game tonight...game went into penalties after a scoreless game and extra time...first shot taken...the keeper makes the save...the ball bounces back towards the shooter...everyone celebrates the save...meanwhile the ball has not not stopped...it bounced out and then gently rolled back in to the net...is it a goal?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Hmm, looks like one of your colleagues beat you to our site and posted the same question right above yours.

As Ref Dawson correctly writes, it is a goal. The kick is not over until the momentum imparted from the kick is dissipated. The player taking the kick may touch it once; the goalkeeper may touch it as many times as necessary to try to stop it from going in the goal. If the kicker touches the ball again, the kick is over.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Yes it is and one would think that a keeper at this level of play would know the Laws as they apply to the taking of kicks from the penalty mark. As long as the ball is still moving, it is in play until it goes out of play or the referee decides the kick is over and stops play.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

As we stated earlier KFTPM ( kicks from the penalty mark) are not quite the same circumstances as a PK in REGULATION given they occur only after a match is over and are a method to decide a winner. KFTPM are in fact similar to an extended PK which allows for one last opportunity after time expires as there is no FOLLOW up AFTER the shot is taken!

No one, ONCE the kicker kicks the ball, can participate in a follow up.
The issue here was the ball still under its own power from the force of the kick?
If a ball rebounds off a keeper or post or crossbar or any of the three in, in any order and the ball is still moving we must observe if the ball can not possibly cross the goal line and enter the goal under the crossbar between the posts under its own power.

Once a referee is assured the ball has no opportunity to enter the goal as in leaving play by crossing the goal line or touch line but not entering the goal or being controlled and possessed by the keeper as in making a save where he has effectively snuffed out the ball's momentum or changed its direction in a manner that it CANNOT possibly enter the goal as in headed back out to the centre circle or at angle away from the posts then he could realistically end the opportunity with a whistle.

Keep in mind that a ball if it has backspin and is NOT YET under control by the keeper the fact the ball has been contacted at an initial save has not yet determined if the ball could still enter the goal within the rebound .

(1) I have seen legitimate goals in KFTPM where a ball, finger tipped by the keeper hit the cross bar rebounded back off the back of the keeper and into the goal
(2) I have seen a keeper dive, have the ball hit him, the ball bounces high into the air but have that ball on its decent hit the keeper or the ground and bounce or rebound into the goal.
(3) I have seen the keeper push the ball away from goal that was hit directly at him but there was sufficient backspin that when it hit the ground in front of him it reversed itself and spun its way into the goal.
If a referee understands the law, he could hold the whistle decision to end this opportunity until assured none of this could occur!

IF there were CONDITIONS where a referee felt were not the result of the balls momentum from the kick but from the keeper or from the weather then the KFTPM could end and the ball entering the goal would not matter!

A keeper who saves the ball then tosses it up in the air to celebrate or over his shoulder and that ball enters under the crossbar over the goal line between the posts it is NOT a goal because the referee acknowledges the keeper had controlled possession, the throw away is a celebration not a continuation of the kick.
If a keeper drops the ball after stopping that ball and the wind blowing strong rolls it back who cares? We saw the keeper control and posses the ball effectively killing its momentum. This principle only applies to KFTPM or an extended PK as the ball after a normal pk in regulation remains in play.
Cheers

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,

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 20867