Question Number: 21395

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 5/21/2009

RE: rec Under 17

Jeff Stephens of Rockwall, TX usa asks...

A corner kick was taken. The ball traveled in the air and landed in front of the goal and was put in the goal by a player on the same team. The goal was not allowed because the side judge ruled that in mid flight the ball traveled behind the end line and then curved back into the field of play where it was kicked in by the offensive team. Was this the correct call.

The ball never touched out of bounds, just was ruled to have traveled out of bounds in flight.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Absolutely correct. That's why the AR must be positioned right on the line for corner kicks - to see if the ball 'bananas' completely outside the goal line.

From Law 9:
'The ball is out of play when:
? it has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground or in the air
? play has been stopped by the referee'

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Picture a vertical plane starting at the outside of the boundaries of the field, either goal line or touchline. If the ball goes completely (all of the ball) outside that plane, then the ball is out of play.

This is also true when the ball goes into the goal completely, but the keeper grabs it back out. If the whole ball went all the way over the line, then it is a goal (assuming of course that the AR was in position to judge it went all the way in!).

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The field is enclosed or portioned with 5 inch boundary lines these lines are in essence invisible 5 inch walls extending straight up into the sky. If the view or vantage point of the AR or referee can deduce that the ball has crossed into or out of that 5 inch wall then a determination is made to whether it is in or out. On the corner kick, the entire circumference of the ball must be completely outside the outer edge of that 5 inch goal line wall to stop play and award the goal kick out.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Absolutely the correct call by the AR who should have been positioned behind the corner flag to judge just this. In soccer, unlike American football, once the ball crosses completely over the touch or goal line it is out of play. In this case the restart is a goal kick.