Question Number: 25447

Kicks From The Penalty mark 9/18/2011

RE: Competitive Under 15

calvin of Perth, WA Australia asks...

On Saturday we were involved in a grand final penalty shootout after the score was 0-0. In the penalty shootout it 4-3 to the opposition we had to score to stay in the game. The penalty was taken and the keeper saved it with the lower part of his body, the ball bounced up in the air. He ran off to celebrate but the ball had back spin on it and rolled back into the net(within 3 seconds). The goalkeeper tried to recover but it was too late. Initially the ref called it a goal and then overturned his decision when he received objection from the opposing team. He then went to a referee who was not part of the game who was the opposition goalkeepers dad. The goal was disallowed but over 200 people were watching and everyone one except one said it was a goal. Please give us your thoughts on if the goal should have been awarded or not and weather the ref is allowed to consult his two appointed linesmen for the game. Regards Calvin

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Calvin
As described the goal should have been awarded. There is no time limit for the ball to cross the goal line and the ball can hit any combination of goalkeeper and frame of the goal from the kick as per the Laws
The referee is entitled to consult with his assistant in order to make the correct decision but it would be poor practise to consult with anyone else such as a spectator.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Guess who absolutely knew the ball was still in play? the keeper. Why else would he have tried to save the ball? Unless the referee signalled the kick was over before the ball crossed over the goal line, this should have been a goal.

Since this was a tournament and apparently the assistant referees were not helping, I have no problem with the referee seeking another referee in an attempt to get this right but the keeper's DAD??!! And he got it wrong too!!

Bottom line is this is a valid goal. Tie score. Continue kicks from the mark

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

What a shame! The referee should have known that as long as the ball had some momentum and that there was a chance the ball could enter the goal that the kick was not over. Once the ball was in the goal, assuming there was no intervening illegality such as the kicker playing the ball again, the goal should have been awarded and the kicks continued.

While consulting another referee is not prohibited, it should have been a neutral referee for obvious reasons.