Question Number: 27520

Kicks From The Penalty mark 6/12/2013

RE: pro Under 12

John Gaffey of Athlone, Rosscommon Ireland asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26968

Does the goal count if the goalkeeper saves it and holds it for over 10 seconds before kicking it into the goal to come and celebrate with his\her team.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
I assume your question refers to Kicks from the Penalty Mark?
Now 10 seconds is a very long time in the context of holding the ball and certainly the penalty kick has been completed after this length of time.
Now if there is a situation were the goalkeeper makes a save and then immediately kicks the ball into the goal the referee has to decide if the kick is part of the save or if the penalty kick has been completed and it is just part of the celebration.
Personally I don't think it is a very wise decision for a player to kick the ball immediately into the goal or to assume that the kick is completed just because the player decides so. The only person that can decide that is the referee so why run the risk.
Have a look at this video where the goal was awarded on a penalty kick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6-4vyrtWd8
The GK clearly celebrated too early. It took 4/5 seconds for the ball to cross the line and had the GK kicked the ball then IMO the referee could still award the goal if he was of the opinion that the kick was part of the save.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

A goal can be scored on kicks from the penalty mark so long as there remains some momentum of the ball from the original kick - even if the ball makes contact with the keeper, the ground, or the goal. The wise referee should note the difference between a ball safely caught by the keeper and a ball that has some momentum remaining from the original kick.