Question Number: 22721

Law 5 - The Referee 1/13/2010

RE: Rec, Select Under 13

James of Gulf Breeze, FL USA asks...

During a game, a defender tripped an opponent in the penalty area, and the ball rolled directly to another attacking player, who then lost the ball moments later. I did not call for the penalty initially because of advantage, but then signaled moments afterward. The coach of the defending team was angry that I gave advantage, and claimed that I was biased. After stating that I allowed play to continue because of advantage, he said advantage didn't apply in the penalty area.
I searched the laws later and found no special circumstances about advantage in the penalty area. What is your take on the situation? Did I make the right decision or the wrong decision?
Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee James
You made the correct decision. The referee can play advantage on any foul in any location on the pitch and that includes the penalty area. In this case advantage did not accrue so as the Law states and I quote
' allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from such an advantage and penalises the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time'. Therefore you were entitled to go back and award the penalty.
As regards the coach's comment that is totally misinformed. Normally referees do not play advantage in the penalty area as the penalty is usually a better advantage but advantage can be a good decision particularly when it can end up in a goal and perhaps involves a dismissal for a DOGSO that can be reduced to a caution should the goal be scored.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

See, this is the problem with giving coaches any credibility when it comes to knowing the LOTG! A) Even when they are knowledgeable, they are biased and B) when they are not knowledgeable (as this one was definitely NOT) they can make you question yourself unnecessarily. It's called gamesmanship and is as old as the game itself.

But to answer your direct question, advantage applies to any violation of Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct, including and especially to any fouls committed within the penalty area!!! So, your decision was both correct in the Law and balanced in favor of the team that was harmed by the tripping.

If we could teach more referees to swallow the whistle for just a moment or two (not seconds, moments!!) while events unwind in the penalty area, it would be a good thing! Bravo, James.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Good lad!
Swallowing the whistle when waiting an outcome inside the penalty area is a great bit of refereeing. While a PK is a HUGE advantage a goal that results from not blowing the whistle is about the only thing better! No goal, then award the Pk! If there was DOGSO criteria a goal could nullify that in favour ofthe defence as well. Takes a cool demeanour and a real understanding of the game to use advantage as law 5 enables us to do! Coach is a putz! There are some who are not, relish them, endure the others!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I would ask how the second player lost the ball. You saw that player in a possibly advantageous situation, so you allowed play to continue, but then nothing came of it. If this loss was entirely because of the second player's skills and abilities (i.e. he goofed up), you should not have gone back to the foul. Just plain messing up is not a reason to revoke advantage. But if it turns out that the situation you contemplated wasn't really advantageous (maybe a defender immediately shut the second player down, or the player had to reach too far to get the ball) then you are correct to go back to the foul and PK.

Well done at waiting a moment to see what happens. There's no worse feeling than blowing the whistle too soon, and seeing the ball in the back of the net just as those sound waves float off into the atmosphere ... Arrgh!

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Well done.

The USSF addressed Advantage in the Penalty Area in an April 11, 2008 position paper (available at usssoccer.com). Your decisions exemplify the four elements in the paper.

'--Advantage is a team concept and thus the referee must be aware not only of the fouled player's ability to continue his or her attack but also of the ability of any of the player's teammates to continue the attack themselves.

- Advantage has been applied when the decision is made, not when the advantage signal is given. The signal itself may often be delayed for 2-3 seconds while the referee evaluates the advantage situation to determine if it will continue.

- Where it does not continue, the Laws of the Game provide for the referee to stop play for the original foul.

- If the original foul involved violence, the referee is advised not to apply advantage unless there is an immediate chance of scoring a goal.'