Question Number: 25141

Law 17 - Corner Kick 6/27/2011

RE: Select Under 14

Mark A. Czyzewski of Lebanon, Oh United States of America asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25132

Follow up to the ball moving forward for a kick. How about a corner kick when the person taking the kick touches the top of the ball and it doesn't move, then the team mate comes and takes the ball and crosses it over to the far post for a play.

Under the rules the ball didn't move forward. I saw this done in a game and the opposing coach was raising hell about the play. No goal was scored but it caught his team and the refs by surprise. What is the rule on this?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Mark: The ball must be kicked and move on a corner kick. It can be kicked in any direction (since it can be placed anywhere on the corner arc). The ball does NOT have to exit the penalty arc.

Trick corner kick plays are legal, but usually fail because the ball is not properly put into play. Touching the top of the ball with the foot is not a kick (and sometimes ball doesn't move at all). The 'second' player is then called for a double touch.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

From your description, it is not clear if the second player crossed the ball with one touch or more touches.

If with one touch, then this second player's kick is the one that put the ball into play, and there is no problem with the play. The first player's tap of the ball was nothing.

But if the second player dribbled the ball part way to the goal before crossing it in, he should have been called for a second-touch on a restart, and an indirect free kick given to the opponents where he touched it the second time.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
The ball at a corner kick can be kicked in any direction as the ball does not have to exit the quadrant for it to be in play. So the ball could be placed on the edge of the quadrant and kicked towards the corner flag which is legal.
The problem with trick plays is that for the plays to be legal the ball must be clearly kicked and moved. Tapping the top of the ball does not meet that criteria.

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

See Question: 26904