Question Number: 27492

Kicks From The Penalty mark 5/29/2013

RE: 6 Adult

ricky of kent, tunbrige wells england asks...

This question is a follow up to question 27482

This was a penalty shoot out at a 6 aside competition to decide who went through to the next round so if the ball is saved by the goal keeper and the ball comes back out past where the referee is standing and hits the ground and the back spin after hitting the ground makes the ball go into the goal ,and the goal keeper thinks it is a save ,the goal stands or is it a save as the ball has come back past the referee ?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ricky
The referee decides when the penalty kick has been completed and direction of the ball is irrelevant. Referees wait for the momentum of the ball from the kick to be spent before deeming the kick completed.
Here are examples of three penalty kicks that were correctly allowed to stand as goals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ufBk_lFaPk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C80RG3bFDrA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB0IsiP-GnE

This is what the Laws of the Game state
'' When a penalty kick is taken during the normal course of play, or time has
been extended at half-time or full time to allow a penalty kick to be taken or
retaken, a goal is awarded if, before passing between the goalposts and under
the crossbar:
# the ball touches either or both of the goalposts and/or the crossbar and/or
the goalkeeper
The referee decides when a penalty kick has been completed.''
Note there is no mention of direction of the ball or time limit taken for the ball to cross the line. If the ball is touched again by the kicker that would complete the kick

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

the bal is live until is completely stops, goes over the touch or goal line, or the referee stops play
there are a plethora of youtube videos of keepers that slap a shot away and then parade around thumping their chests while the ball rolls into the net