Question Number: 30854

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/4/2016

RE: Over 40 league Adult

Allen of Bel Air, Maryland Usa asks...

Indoor soccer league. Rules are generally similar to the outdoor game including goalkeeper rules.

Here's the situation: goalkeeper dribbles out of his box during a transition. Opposing team steals the ball
and takes a shot. Goalkeeper is backpedaling and barely out of his box. Shot is taken which glances off goalkeepers hand and then proceeds to go into the goal. Does the goal count?

Added information: referee blows the whistle as the ball touches goalkeepers hand.

Thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Allen
Without the whistle the goal is good. Advantage is a key principle of sport including soccer both indoor and outdoor so that if the offended team benefits from allowing play to continue through advantage then that is what should happen. The goal can be awarded.
Now it is a different matter if play has been stopped by a whistle. No further play can be allowed and an over zealous eager referee by blowing the whistle has disadvantage the attacking team as the goal must be disallowed. The goalkeeper though will have to be dismissed for denying a goal and the restart depends on the modified rules. In a regular game it is a direct free kick from where the handling took place.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Allen,
The whistle is blown so play is stopped. Doesn't matter if it goes in the goal - play is stopped. Sounds like the referee may have been too hasty on the whistle here. It's unfortunate and every referee ha been caught out here (usually when it looks like there's no chance of advantage and the striker then managers to slot it between 4 defenders and the keeper into the corner of the net!)

What the referee should have gone was to await the outcome of the kick - with the ball going into the goal the referee should have applied advantage and allowed the goal (the keeper could still be cautioned).

Keeping in mind that if any part of the ball was even slightly above the line bordering the Penalty Area when it was handled then it's considered inside the PA and a legal handle.