Question Number: 27217

Law 7 - Match Duration 3/3/2013

RE: competitive High School

Luis of weslaco , texas united states asks...

We were losing 2-1 and there were around 30 seconds on the clock. My teammate got fouled and the referee marked a penalty. He was ready to shoot but the time ran out and the referee decided to end the game without letting him shoot. My coach went to talk to him and he decided to let him shoot after all. He ended up scoring but my questions were if a referee can retake his decision and if he should have let us take the penalty. Thank you in advance.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Under high school (NFHS) rules, the clock does not stop for an ordinary foul. It is possible for the match to end without being able to take a free kick.

However, the clock MUST stop at the award of a penalty kick.

Under high school rules, the referee has the power to correct any decision so long as play has not restarted. So, the referee could permit the kick to be taken. Under TLOG, it is less clear. The laws provide that a referee may not change a decision after the final whistle but many (including me) believe the only exception is an error by the referee whether or not time has expired.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Luis
The penalty kick should have been allowed to be taken as the clock must stop for the award of the penalty kick. It is the same in a FIFA game where it is the one exception where play is extended after time has fully expired to allow the kick to be taken.
In this case the referee was about to make an error in Rules and when questioned about this he probably saw the error and correctly allowed the kick to be taken.
So he got the right decision albeit in a messy way opening himself to questions. Had he simply allowed the kick to be taken I believe less notice would have been taken and without the need of the intervention of a coach.