Question Number: 26745

Law 13 - Free Kicks 9/10/2012

RE: District Adult

Rowan Irvine-Roberts of Mission, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26700

What if a direct (or indirect)free kick is awarded top of the penalty box to the attacking team and the keeper fails to retire the ten yards.The kick is taken quickly and directed towards goal, the keeper a) stops the shot with his foot b) stops the shot with his hands. Now if we go with yellow for failing to respect and retake that hardly seems fair for a ball that was going in the net. From the laws this appears to be only a yellow no other sanction.Am I missing something.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rowan
The first question the referee has to ask is whether the player encroached within the ten yards or simply intercepted the ball and there is a world of difference between the two.
If the attacking side believes that it is in it's best interest to take a quick free kick without looking for all opponents to be ten yards away and the ball is intercepted then the attacking side must accept the outcome of the kick and play continues. So a goalkeeper that is retreating to goal and jumps up to intercept the ball then there is no offence. However where the goalkeeper to come forward towards the ball to charge the ball down or prevent the kick from being taken then that is punishable with a caution and the free kick is retaken. Inside the penalty area it makes no difference if the goalkeeper uses his foot or his hands and the caution is for encroachment as a goalkeeper cannot be guilty of any misconduct for handling the ball inside the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The general rule is that the referee should do nothing and allow play to continue when the kicking team takes the kick even though an opponent is closer than ten yards. The opponent is permitted to intercept the ball.

Unless the keeper rushed the kick or otherwise moved forward to intercept the ball, the keeper would be entitled to catch or play the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Rowan,

The fact that it's the keeper specifically isn't important - because the same would apply to any player (but being the keeper, it makes no difference in his area if he handles it or kicks it, for the purpose of these scenarios).

As you know, an attacking team is entitled to take the kick quickly, unless the referee needs to intervene. When doing so, they accept the position of the players - so as long as the defender is deliberately trying to block the kick (say, by standing just in front of the ball), then if the kick hits the defender, it's bad luck.

But what if that defender moves? For me, it depends on when they move.

I believe that once the ball is put into play, the attack has accepted the position of the defence (and the risk of that position), meaning it's fair game for the defence to intercept. Therefore, even if they're within the 10 yards, if they move for the ball after it is put into play, then that's fine.

If, however, they start to move to block just before the ball is actually put into play, then they're actively preventing the restart from taking place, so this is when we look at a caution and a retake.

I understand your reasoning that they may be unfairly preventing a goal by doing this, but the laws simply do not permit a red card in this scenario at all.