Question Number: 26027

Law 7 - Match Duration 3/4/2012

RE: comp Under 11

jd of boca raton, fl usa asks...

The ref blows the whistle to end the game while the ball is in the air, it lands in the goal. Is is a goal? Or is it dead/out of play, no goal? Thanks! JD

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

When the whistle blows, the game is over. The ball in the goal does not count, therefore.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No goal.
While one may question the wisdom of ending the game while a shot is in the air, there's nothing preventing the referee from ending the match in this manner.

The match is over when all allotted time has been played and the referee blows the whistle.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Once the whistle sounds play is ended. So in your scenario a goal cannot be awarded.
In practise many referees would await the outcome of the ball in the air before ending the game. However that depends on the timing method used by the referee or the competition rules. On a fixed period game with no allowance made for time lost, the referee might end the game on exactly the expiry of the allotted time.
Where the referee has discretion on adding on for lost time, a second or two can be easily found. However some referees are very precise about time using a digital watch, stopping it for substitutions, injuries etc and when the watch reaches zero the whistle is blown no matter where the ball is. It is not a method I recommend but the referee on the day is the sole authority on time keeping and he can use whatever method he wishes.
Last minute goals / disallowed goals always cause controversy so one side will be bitterly unhappy with the decision made by the referee on timing.