Question Number: 30856

High School 10/4/2016

RE: Competitive High School

Steve Johnson of Blue Hill, ME USA asks...

In the DSC, regular season, high school games in Maine, the stadium clock is the official time. If a player takes a shot from the field and the ball goes into the net, does the the ball have to have been kicked before time expires, or only pass fully over the goal line, between the uprights and under the crossbar before time expires, for the goal to be counted?

I understand the latitude allowed in DSC games where the time is kept by the CR, but what is the ruling in the situation where fans can see the clock and hear the horn?

Thanks for answering my question.

Steve Johnson
Maine Association of Soccer Officials.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Steve, In high school play, as is indicated in NFHS Rule 7-1-4, a period shall end at the expiration of time. Thus, in order to score a goal, the ball does have to enter the goal and pass fully over the goal line before the time for the period has expired (the clock has reached zero). What you stated about the games where the time is kept by the CR is incorrect. There is no latitude. When the time on the CR's clock expires, the period has ended. To give extra time for the ball to enter the goal, gives the attacking team an unfair advantage. I hope that your high school season is very successful.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve
Referee Manjone has given the NFHS position on this. For referees that do FIFA games timing is nowhere near as exact as this with seconds or so being here nor there. I suspect as well it is a pretty rare event to have a ball in the air be whistled dead for expired time particularly where there is no independent timing such as a stadium clock and horn. When the referee is the sole judge it is his integrity on the timing that is key. Could I say for certain watching a flighted ball or shot that I can also see my watch going to zero so as to whistle the play dead before the ball enters the goal? We have a road safety ad running here that shows what can happen in a second. A shot only needs a seconds or so to be completed.