Question Number: 25745

Kicks From The Penalty mark 11/14/2011

RE: Competive Under 13

Robert Tatum of Independence, MO United State of America asks...

We were recently in a tournament. As tiem expired in regulation play, the score was tied. Tournament rules stated that PK shootout would determine the winner.

On one of the shots, the player shot, ball hits teh crossbar, comes back into the field of play, bounces off the ground, hits the goalie in the back then bounces back in the goal.

The referees credit a goal scored. The argument was that since it was a PK Shootout and the initial shot was missed and came back into play and touched the ground, the ball should have been called dead and the rebound off the keeper should not have applied.

What is the correct call in this situation?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Robert
Similar questions have been asked a number of times recently based on a number of unusual penalty kicks throughout the world.
The correct decision is that a goal must be awarded so the referee was 100% correct in his application of the Law. The relevant section of the Law 14 states
'' When a penalty kick is taken during the normal course of play, or time has
been extended at half-time or full time to allow a penalty kick to be taken or
retaken, 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
The referee decides when a penalty kick has been completed''

So the ball can hit any combination of post, crossbar, goalkeeper, ground with the referee waiting for the momentum of the original kick to end and a goal is awarded if it cross the goal line into the goal. Obviously it cannot touch the kicker for a second time in which case the ball is called dead.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee must judge when the kick is over, and that is independent of whether the ball touches the crossbar, the goalkeeper or the ground. As long as the ball is still moving, the kick continues.