Question Number: 30848

Law 7 - The Duration of the Match 10/2/2016

RE: Adult

mohamed ahmed mohsen of 6 october city, Giza Egypt asks...

If the losing team has a corner kick or free kick and the time ran out (90min and additional time) should the referee wait till the kick is played .. or he could finish the game immediately ?
what's the situation with P.K. ?!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
The only occasion that time must be extended in a game is for a penalty kick. At all other times it is at the referees discretion as to whether there is sufficient time to allow a restart such as a corner kick or free kick.
Now we know that timing is not done exactly to the second so a referee can *find* a few seconds to see a play out. I have noticed a tendency in UEFA games for referees to end the game at the end of the last minute shown on the 4th official board. Having said that if a team has had another substitution in added time or an injury or a caution for delaying the restart a referee is well entitled to add on the time lost to allow the restart.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

The only time a referee must add on time even if normal plus additional time has fully expired, is for a penalty kick. For all other dead ball situations, including corner kicks, it is at the discretion of the referee. If the referee judges that time is up, the game can be ended at that point.

However, I have noticed that there does seem to be a tendency for many referees to want to call time when the ball is in play (and in a neutral area of the pitch). Since time-keeping in football is not an exact science and the referee is the sole arbiter of how much additional time should be added, nobody can gainsay a referee who chooses to allow a few extra seconds for events to play out.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mohamed,
under the LOTG, ONLY a PK is permitted to be taken by extending the time allowed. In fact it MUST occur! All other restarts are NOT required to take place . The game can just end with the ball out of play or in play, finishing immediately. It is UNFAIR to go past defending a match in its entirety for victory or a hard fought tie then to prolong opportunity for the other team to score and change the outcome.

That said time is relative and rarely to the micro second in its entirety.

Given how referees are able to add time for situations which, ITOOTR WASTE time that time is vey subjective to the conduct of the teams playing. If one sees a hustling group trying to get the ball in play quickly while perhaps the other team is dragging their feet trying to USE up time but in fact are wasting time one can make a match end on a less controversial situation than an untaken corner kick or free kick that has the potential to create a solid goal scoring opportunity. We can usually find a few extra ticks of the clock to allow play to finish in a possible last second goal. Although I have had instances of teams doing themselves no favours, by playing their match with an indifferent approach to getting the ball into play quickly through much of the match so when they suddenly require some set up time, I then find none available.
Cheers