Question Number: 26709

Law 16 - Goal Kick 9/2/2012

RE: Intermediate Under 13

C Velazquez of Los Angeles, CA USA asks...

A goal kick leaves the penalty area but then also goes out to touch without touching a single player from either team.

Do you award a throw-in to the other team or is the kick retaken?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Once the ball has left the penalty area it is in play. As the ball then crossed the touch line having last been play by a defending team player the referee awards a throw in to the attacking team.
A goal kick or free kick taken inside the penalty area is only retaken if the ball does not leave the penalty area or it is touched inside the penalty area or it crosses the goal line inside the penalty area. In those cases the kick is retaken as the ball is not in play.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

A review of when the ball is in play would be helpful. On goal kicks, Law 16 says the ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area. So, once the ball exited the penalty area, it was in play. If the ball then crosses a touchline, then it left the field last touched by a defending player, thus a throw in for the other team is in order. If the ball exited the penalty area, then crossed over the goal line, it would be a corner kick.

The only time a goal kick would be retaken would be if a) the ball did not exit the penalty area on the first kick, or if another defender kicks it again before it leaves the penalty area; b) the ball exits the penalty area over the goal line, having never entered the field; or c) an attacking player has entered the PA before the ball exits and interferes with the restart.