Question Number: 26969

Law 13 - Free Kicks 11/2/2012

RE: Adult

kieran of derry, londonderry northern ireland asks...

a defender from a free kick passes the ball back to his goalkeeper who is tying his laces and the ball goes into the net is it a goal??

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

An own goal may NOT be scored on a free kick unless the ball touches another player. If the ball went directly into the goal (without touching the keeper), the restart would be a corner kick.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Kieran
A team cannot score a goal on itself directly from any restart so whether its a free kick, goal kick, throw in, corner kick at the other end, the goal is not awarded and the restart is a corner kick. In addition any kicked restart by the defense inside the penalty area must leave the area for it to be in play. If it does not leave the area the kick is retaken.
The other restarts of a penalty kick and a kick off the ball must be played forward for the ball to be put into play.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It is not a goal. A goal may not be scored directly against ones own team on any restart. It becomes a corner kick.

However, if the free kick was taken inside the penalty area, it must be taken again as the ball never was in play. Everyone knows this applies to goal kicks, but distressingly many don't know it applies to free kicks. That's surprising, as Law 13 and Law 16 are worded almost identically on the subject.