Question Number: 22942

Kicks From The Penalty mark 3/14/2010

RE: competive Under 19

Rocky of cypress, texas usa asks...

On a semifinal game ended tie, then they went for the penalties, one shot the goalie block it the ball went up bounce on the ground and then the ball went in, the goalie did not try to stop it after in bounce on the ground thinking that he already block it, the ref did not count it as a goal, was that a goal or not?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee must decide when the kick is finished, that is, when the ball's momentum is spent. Normally, when the ball is still moving after a deflection and spins back into the goal, it is a goal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rocky
As decribed by you this IMO is a goal. The ball had the orginal momentum imparted to it by the penalty kick and IMO the penalty is completed in KFTPM when the ball goes into the goal, goes wide, comes back off the post/crossbar with no chance of going into the goal, loses it original momentum by being caught or comes to rest on its own.
Having said that the referee is the sole judge of when the kick is completed.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The Advice to Referees, considered an official document for USSF referees, has this to say:

14.13 WHEN IS THE PENALTY KICK COMPLETED?
The penalty kick or kick from the penalty mark is completed only when the referee declares it so, and the referee should not declare the kick to be completed if there is any possibility that the ball is still in
play. In other words: So long as the ball is in motion and contacting any combination of the ground, crossbar, goalposts, and goalkeeper, a goal can still be scored.
A penalty kick or kick from the penalty mark is not completed, and must therefore be retaken, if anything unfairly or illegally interferes with the movement of the ball from the moment of the kick to
the arrival of the ball at the goal. Examples of such interference would include the ball bursting on its way to the net or the intervention of an outside agent (e. g., spectator) while the ball is still moving to the net. Any interference that occurs after the ball has reached the net (resulting in the ball entering the net, missing the net entirely, or being saved by the goalkeeper) is handled as if the same event had occurred during play. The basic principle underlying this guidance is that the team taking a penalty kick or a kick from the mark must be given a fair chance to score and any illegal obstacle hindering the movement of the ball to the net must result in a retake of the kick.