Question Number: 28041

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 12/1/2013

RE: High School

Bob Healy of whitman, Massachusetts United States asks...

soccer ball hits a dog and ball goes in the goal is it a goal

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
Once the ball hits an 'outside agent' play must be stopped so a goal cannot be awarded no matter how obvious or certain it might be. The restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.
If it is a penalty kick with the ball bound goalwards the kick is retaken. If the ball has come back into play from a save or a rebound the penalty kick is complete and it is a dropped ball restart.
In my opinion the referee should not signal for the kick to be taken if there are any concerns about outside agents around the goal and penalty area. Prevention is always better than cure.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Absolutely not a goal. The dog is an outside agent. If an outside agent enters the field, play is stopped, although not immediately if the agent does not interfere with play. Touching the ball is definitely interference!

Play is restarted with a dropped ball at the site of the ball when play is stopped. The only exception is with a penalty kick; if the interference happened when the ball was headed for the goal, the PK is retaken.