Question Number: 30751

Law 3 - Number of Players 9/12/2016

RE: Rec Adult

Steve of Perth, Western Australia Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30750

You point out correctly that a goal scored with an extra player on the field of play (belonging to the scoring team) results in a goal kick or corner kick as appropriate. For completeness I think it should be pointed out however, that if the extra player is in any way involved in the goal (as scorer, or assisting in any way) that this would constitute 'interference' and under the new laws would result in a DFK to the other side.

In fact David Elleray, in an email to another referee, suggests that if you realise that there is an extra player before a goal is scored, and therefore stop the play on this account, this also constitutes interference and leads to DFK restart. His suggestion is to always find the restart that most benefits the non-offending team.

Of course if the interference in any way happens in the extra player's own PA, then the DFK is upgraded to a penalty kick.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve
It is important to note that play has stopped with the goal scored and the referee only becomes aware of the extra player after the goal. That cannot be a DFK restart.
As suggested on another question I asked Mr Elleray that same question posting his reply on another referee site which is what you have quoted. I followed up with him on the location of the restart when the stoppage is not connected with play or involving interference . In the past the location of the ball was the appropriate IDFK restart location. His reply was that he hoped that the referee would apply 'common sense' and restart from the location which benefits the non-offending team.
The following Q&A refers
http://www.asktheref.com/Soccer%20Rules/Question/30718/
So an extra player is considered interference and play can and should be stopped if there is no advantage. If the extra player is not connected with play through direct interference then one restart IMO can be from the location of the ball. The challenge I have with that is that in the unlikely event of stopping inside the penalty area of the offending team with the 12th player at the half way line the restart would have to be a penalty kick! Whether a referee would ever get to that situation I am not so sure given the advice to play advantage if there is no interference and whether a referee would so happen to realise the extra player on the FOP with certainty in such a situation with the ball inside the penalty area. I doubt it.
The obvious run on to the FOP by the extra player / official can be dealt with under the laws much more easily as it is either a clear advantage or stop play at the location of the direct interference and a DFK at that point. The extra player not known by the referee scenario is much more trickier depending on the circumstances particularly when it is an error by the team rather than unsporting direct interference.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Steve,

The DFK restart would only be an option if the referee had noticed the extra player (and/or judged interference to have taken place) and had stopped play before the 'goal' had been scored.

That is a different scenario to the one posed in the question to which you are following up. In the particular situation under discussion, the only valid options are (as per the law, which was correctly quoted by the questioner) 'a goal kick, corner kick or dropped ball.'

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

See Question: 30758