Question Number: 26207

Law 14 - Penalty kick 4/19/2012

RE: Rec Adult

Mitch of Ontario, Ontario Canada asks...

At the taking of a PK a defender kicks the ball in his own net.

What is the referee's action and re-start?

Thanks,

Mitch

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mitch
Not sure why this should happen and it is a highly unlikely event.
However should it happen, the ball has not been put into play properly as per Law 14 and the penalty kick has to be taken by the attacking team. The ball must be kicked forward by the designated penalty taker to be put into play.
If the action was to delay the restart or an act of dissent the player should be cautioned.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Kicks the ball into his own net?

That would mean that somehow, after kicking the ball forwards (don't forget it must go forwards at a PK), the ball then changes direction, travels 78 yards or more with enough speed and force to defeat the keeper. Needless to say, this would be physically impossible.

More generally, you can never score an own goal direct from a restart. Any restart. If the ball is put into play legally, it would always be a corner kick.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

In the first place, it is not a defender who kicks the ball at a PK. In order for the defender to have a shot at the ball, it would have to have been put into play by an attacking player. Only then can the defender put foot to ball.

In that particular case, the ball now being in play, the ball in the goal is a goal and the restart is a kick-off.

But your scenario is not possible as a defender. On the other hand, if a player took a PK, and the ball did not go into his opponent's net, but say hit the cross bar, bounced way down field, past the keeper into the player's own net , having touched no one else on the way, the restart has to be a corner kick for the opposing team, since you cannot score against yourself on a restart - even a PK. So it is a corner kick since it left the field over the goal line last touched by a member of the team whose goal it is.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Only attackers take PKs but let's pretend a proper player takes a penalty kick and kicks it backwards some 80 yards into his own net.

Have to retake as the ball must be kicked forwards in order to be put onto play. Since it was not properly put into play the PK must be properly taken.

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