Question Number: 24439

Law 14 - Penalty kick 12/25/2010

RE: ex semi pro. england

MARK HAMILTON of LEEDS, WEST YORKS ENGLAND asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23972

penalty shoot out
ball hits post bounces out and hits keeper and goes in net. Goal?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It counts.

Law 14: '... 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'

And, page 51: 'Unless otherwise stated, the relevant Laws of the Game and International F.A. Board Decisions apply when kicks from the penalty mark are being taken'

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
Most definitely a goal. The ball can hit any combination of the post, crossbar, goalkeeper and if the ball crosses the line a goal is awarded.
To look at why this is the case we have to look at the history of KFTPM.
In 1986 a French player did just this in a penalty shoot out in a WC game between Brazil and France, The ball hit the crossbar and the ball came back out and hit the Brazilian goalkeeper and went into the goal. The Referee allowed the goal to count and France went on to win 4-3 on penalties.
There was a lot of controversy about the French penalty kick at the time due to an ambiguity in the law on when a penalty was completed. The Scottish Football Association as a member of IFAB, the lawmakers, sought clarification on this and the current wording has its origins in a law change at that time. It was agreed at the time that it should be allowed and the wording changed to reflect that. In the great rewrite of 97/98 the 1986 wording was removed yet the current wording reflects that decision.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Law 14, the relevant Law for KFTPM, also states a penalty kick has ben completed when the referee says it is. The only way what you describe could NOT count as a goal is if the referee blew the whistle before the ball crossed over the goal line, between the posts and under the crossbar in accordance with Law 10.