Question Number: 29050

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 12/13/2014

RE: Premier Adult

Ibrahim Ishiaku of lokoja, Kogi Nigeria asks...

Good day.
If an attacker shut a ball going into a goal and a defender uses his hand to propel the ball (denied a goal to be scored)the referee allows an advantage because another attacker still gain advantage of the ball and scored a goal. Will that player be cautioned and shown YELLOW card or he should be expelled and shown RED after the goal has been scored? .

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ibrahim
As nothing has been denied the player cannot be dismissed. The sending off offence is denying a goal or goal scoring opportunity which has not happened through the use of advantage by the referee.
The referee may still caution the player for unsporting behaviour and that is at the discretion of the referee taking into account the circumstances.
For instance in the last minutes of a game a referee may decide to speak to the player about his unsporting action rather than caution.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ibrahim,
this is why we 'delay a whistle in the PA when their remains an opportunity for a ball to completely cross the goal line, under the crossbar and between the posts. The denial of the goal by the handling is NOT thwarted thus the NEED to send off is no longer valid!

There are those who might argue there were two separate events and the first one requires a send off. There is not the same degree of accountability as if the event was a VC or SFP as the MISCONDUCT requires a red card for the ACTION of endangering the safety of the opponent. Here we are only looking at was a goal denied?

The LOTG require a deliberate handling DOGSO red card send off ONLY if the handling prevents a goal from occurring before we stop play, even if the ball was deliberately rebounded off the hand before entering the goal, the ball did in fact enter the goal before play was allowed to stop! IN MY OPINION this advantage of a certain goal is the ONLY advantage I would consider appropriate as having met the necessary criteria. THe bar was raised from possibility to certainty as the first handing actually denied the goal! A shot directed at goal is NOT the same as a shot that would have entered the goal except for the handling.
.
One can still show the yellow card and caution the act now as USB for the intent of trying to deny the goal! I likely show the yellow card and caution as the act was blatant and not being sent off IS his reward! My kinder colleague allows for some leeway so perhaps if the match was ending and the player was to receive a second yellow card I MIGHT spare the need to caution but if he managed to score in the remaining time I am likely going to hear about it! It is risky trying to be fairish at times. lol
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 29055