Question Number: 24618

Law 5 - The Referee 2/26/2011

RE: Competitive Adult

Octavian of Saskatoon, SK Ca asks...

I am officiating an Adult Coed Game. Athmosphere is relaxed and everybody has fun. I never thought I would see something like the below but...It is the kick off for the second half. Attacker A taps the ball forward to Attacker B. Attacker B turns toward his keeper and from the half way line(indoor), kicks the ball up high and towards his goalie. Goalie is surprised and with nothing left to do, tries to stop the ball coming. He only manages to touch it and deflects it into his own net. Now you must understand when i mentioned that I never thought something like this will happen. As I mentioned , the athmosphere was fun , nobody did anything but laugh at it and I allowed the goal. Nobody challenged it either as again, they were all either stunned or laughing their hearts out. One of the offences committed by the goalkeepers is to 'touch' the ball with his hands if it was deliberately kicked by a teammate. In this case, he did touch it but it did not stop it from going in the net. Should the ball went anywhere but in the net, i would have awarded the indirect free kick from the goal area line but in this case, I saw it as an 'advantage' call. However, i just don't feel I made the right call as I am not sure that I can play advantage on a situation like this. Please let me know If i should have disallowed the goal and awarded the indirect free kick.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The right call was made here. The keeper had a choice to make - let the ball go in and it's a goal (the ball was in play at that point in time - and not direct from the kickoff). Or try to keep the ball out of the goal and either fail and it's a goal or succeed and it's an indirect free kick from where he touched it with his hands.

This is an advantage call should the keeper touch it and the ball continue into the goal. It's a good thing that the teams accepted the decision with such good sportsmanship - and a tribute to your management.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Allowing play to continue is more beneficial to the opposing team then stopping play for the infringement. It's definitely advantage.

Some referees will disagree with this, but I see no justification for that position. I don't believe you had a choice in the matter.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Most definitely a goal as the correct decision is to allow advantage. A similar situation exists from a throw in where the goalkeeper touches the ball with his hand from a team mate's throw in to prevent it entering the goal. Advantage must be played and the goal awarded
While many believe that as is an IDFK restart that it is a technical infringement yet it is still a Law 12 infringement. BTW the Laws of the game does not say that advantage cannot be played on offences other than Law 12 offences.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Octavian, you have asked us two questions where you question a correct decision you have made. You know the Law well but seem a bit unsure of yourself. Bottom line is you are doing a good job. Over time, your confidence will build. In the meantime, you keep calling your games as the Law dictates and within the Spirit of the Law.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 24663