Question Number: 29414

Kicks From The Penalty mark 5/17/2015

RE: Under 11

Abel Alemgena of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia asks...

What if in a penalty shootout the goalkeeper saves the ball and the ball comes back spinning into the goal. Is that a goal?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Abel
Yes this is a goal. This question has been asked a number of times in the past due to some unusual penalty kicks.
Here is an example of such a Penalty Kick from Morocco in 2010
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_6-4vyrtWd8
The ball clearly crossed the goal line from the momentum imparted from the original kick.
Here is another examples of a referees awarding a goal in such circumstances
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab3WF_e-J8M
This penalty kick which happened in Italy the ball took an age to cross the line but when it did the referee signalled a goal. The momentum from the original kick took the ball over the line. Had the kicker touched it again the penalty would have been completed or had the GK kicked the ball away then again the kick was over. The Italian referee decision was protested and it was eventually ruled that the referee made the 100% correct decision.
Had the goalkeeper's in both situation concentrated on completing the task in hand neither ball would have crossed the goal line. Goalkeepers should always be prepared on a save to make sure that ball does not then roll, spin, bounce or otherwise cross the goalline on its remaining momentum - The relevant part of Law 11 states
'' 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.''
The ball can always touch the ground at any time and no mention of how long it takes for the ball to cross the line.
The history behind this part of Law 14 is that in 1986 a French penalty kick was deemed to be scored in a penalty shoot out in a WC game between Brazil and France, The ball hit the crossbar and the ball came back out and hit the Brazilian goalkeeper and went into the goal. The Referee allowed the goal to count and France went on to win 4-3 on penalties.
There was a lot of controversy about the French penalty kick at the time due to an ambiguity in the law on when a penalty was completed. The Scottish Football Association sought clarification, and the current wording has its origins in a law change at that time. It was agreed at the time that it should be allowed and the wording changed to reflect that.
So notions of ball direction, time taken to cross the goal line, bouncing back of the goalkeeper nullifying the goal are all myths.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Abel,
hmm if the ball goes into the goal by crossing the goal line under the crossbar and between the posts then the keeper has not ...saved... the shot. The kinetic energy imparted into the ball at the taking of the PK when it is kicked must be dissipated. To save the shot the keeper must gain control of the ball and kill its momentum or the ball is finished its momentum or has exited the field of play. The referee should blow the whistle to indicate the PK is over only when it is!
Cheers