Question Number: 30597

Law 7 - Match Duration 7/12/2016

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30592

I'm confused about something that Referee Jason Wright said.

It was my understanding that the rules for a PK when time was extended for it & KFTPM are the same...that is, the kicker gets one kick & only the GK can try to stop the goal, & the it ends when either there's a goal or the momentum of the ball stops. All other players on both sides can't legally do anything.

If there are a few more seconds, then both attackers & defenders can get involved after the kick.

So I don't understand how there can be a situation where defenders can get involved, but attackers can't, unless I'm misreading what Referee Wright said.

Thanks again,

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Phil,

There is nothing in the LOTG specifically stating that players can't get involved - simply that there can be no goal from any followup.

So, take the scenario where a goalkeeper makes a diving save, ball bounces up and across and is slowly trickling over the line. A defender could, quite legally, clear the ball off the goal line thus ending the penalty kick. Unlikely scenario, sure - but could change the result if it happens.

Although in that scenario, technically speaking the kick would be over even if the defender kicked it into the goal.....good luck if that happens to you!!

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

As Ref Wright's answer implies, the important thing is that only the penalty kick taker and the goalkeeper can be involved (and the penalty kicker can only touch the ball once). No other player is allowed to get involved subsequent to the kick. There has been some debate in previous questions on a penalty kick in extended time as to whether the referee should inform the other players that they must not attempt to get involved.

Some have even suggested that they should not be allowed to line up along the edge of the penalty area and arc as usual. Personally, I would not go that far, but I would agree with warning the other players not to get involved since, as previously mentioned, only the kicker and the keeper should be involved in a penalty kick taken in extended time.

This would be an unusual and tricky situation for the referee to manage and as Ref McHugh has said in another answer, could be avoided by allowing a little additional time (which is at the referee's discretion) for a follow up - or subsequent kick-off if the penalty is scored.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
Prevention is better than cure. If the referee has decided to end the game after the penalty kick is completed then no further follow up play is allowed. Now if a defender gets to a position where he is involved in play then more than likely attackers are in there also.
I believe statistically that 8 out of 10 penalties are converted probably most directly. So couple that with end of game timing it is going to be a very rare event to deal with.
I watched in the Euro Championship the referees handling of added time. The wisdom now in UEFA is to end the game on the minute shown on the 4th official board so if it is 3.00 on the board the game ends on 3.00 or thereabouts. I noticed that say on a corner, free kick that the referee allowed the restart even though the time had expired as per advice and then ended promptly when the ball was cleared away in the air. So at that time refs do find the few seconds to allow the outcome to be concluded. I see no issue about the referee doing the same at a PK as he can opine that the watch stopped after the PK was awarded and that the clock started again with the kick. It only needs 2/3 seconds to do that.

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

See Question: 30602