Question Number: 22225

League Specific 10/12/2009

RE: Select Under 13

Tim S of Los Angeles, CA USA asks...

In our league goal scoring statistics are kept and CRs keep track of and certify who scored during each game. I'm not sure who to credit this goal to and need your advice.

Striker make a strong run and breaks through the defense to be one of one with keeper; long hooking shot to the left from outside the penalty area, lovely diving save by the keeper that comes straight back towards the striker who slide kicks the ball back towards the wide open goal on the right. Striker's teammate is now standing still about 7 yards from the goal (on side with a defender on his outside shoulder), and the shot hits him in the knee (he does not move his leg in any fashion) and trickles across the line before the goalie or the defender can scramble to stop it. No offside, clear goal.

At first I thought that the teammate should be credited with the score but then reversed myself, because I felt that if the ball had caromed off of the defender and gone it, then it would the striker's goal, not an own goal by the defender. Thus, to me the identity of the player that the ball deflects off of into the goal is irrelevant, as long as that player takes no action other than to stand there, and the goal is the striker's. Am I right?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

We also have to credit goals per player; I construe that to mean the last attacker to have touched the ball. Sometimes that is a surprise to that player.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Tim
In the UK Premier league there is the 'dubious 'Goals Panel to adjudicate on these doubful goals.
In general their view is that when an attacker touches the ball before it enters the goal he/she is credited with the goal ie the last forward to touch the ball.
If it deflected off a defender/goalkeeper it is awarded to the forward who took the shot unless the ball was going clearly wide and the deflection knocked it into the net, in which case it becomes an 'own goal'
In general at underage 'own goals' are rarely credited with the benefi given to the attacker who took the shot or the last forward to touch it.
Referee Wickham makes a good suggestion by asking the captain or indeed the coach after the game.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

I have a standard solution to the issue: when it isn't clear, I ask the captain 'who scored that goal?' He can deal later with disputes among his teammates over credit.

In this case, it's pretty clear. I don't worry about who did more; I score it for the last attacker to touch the ball .