Question Number: 28913

Law 11 - Offside 10/27/2014

RE: competitive High School

John of Madrid, NY USA asks...

-A ball is lofted into Team B's penalty area.
-Striker A is standing stationary in the
penalty area.
-Keeper B jumps and with extended arms gains
possession of the lofted ball.
As Keeper B lands with extended arms, the ball
strikes Player A's head and rebounds into
the goal.

Goal or Player A interference?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

A player is entitled to stand in his position (as long as he didn't move there with the intention of just blocking the keeper). Also, to have committed a foul (the relevant foul is preventing the keeper from releasing the ball), the player needs to be doing something (deliberate handling is a slightly special case, and not relevant here).
A player can't have committed a foul against an opponent by standing still - this is fully the keeper's fault.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

John,

There is no player interference rule in high school soccer.

Rule 12-4-2 prohibits a player from charging the goalkeeper in the penalty area, but what you describe does not constitute charging.

Rule 12-4-2a states that the official shall disqualify any player that flagrantly fouls a goalkeeper in possession of the ball, but once again, there was no flagrant foul in what you described. The keeper had possession but lost it when the ball hit the opponents head.

It is a goal.

I hope that your season is going well.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
As described this would be a goal as the player has done nothing other than stand there.
Now there is one way that this can be called an offence and that is offside. Lets say that the Player A was in an offside position. That player even by doing nothing has because of his position perhaps under the dropping ball is interfering with an opponents by preventing the opponent from playing or being able to play the ball and that can be called offside.