Question Number: 30875

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/9/2016

RE: C1 Under 15

Frans Versluis of Edina, MN United States asks...

In a recent game an attacker was purposely blocking the view of a goalie in the runup to the corner kick. In my view she was not 'playing the ball' but solely intent on blocking the view of the goalie. I could see this because she was constantly looking over her shoulders making sure she was positioning herself right in front of the goalie and adjusting her position every time the goalie moved a bit to get a view of the player that was about to take the corner kick.

I gave her two warnings not to do this and issued a yellow card after the behaviour continued during a third corner kick.

The coach argued that this was not a foul and his player was allowed to do this.

Who is correct ?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Frans
Players are allowed their position on the field of play. So there is nothing wrong in a player standing in front or beside the goalkeeper or indeed repositioning when the ball is not in play even if it intended to blocks the players view or for that matter standing in a position that may block the subsequent movement provided the player does not move after the ball is put in play to impede, block, obstruct etc. Line of sight is only applicable to offside consideration and at a corner it does not apply. I suspect the repositioning here was for the attacker to place herself in a position that caused the most problem for the GK in her movement Now it only becomes a foul when the attacker MOVES with the sole intention of blocking, impeding, holding the movement of the goalkeeper AFTER the ball is put into play. It is a direct free kick to the defending team where the contact occurred. It is not a free kick if the player does not move. If the player moves to play the ball then there is no foul either.
As to a referee handling this my advice is to award the free kick to the defending team only. I only intervene before hand if the jostling for space is excessive and players are starting to get aggressive with each other. My experience is that when that happens the free kick generally put an end to the holding, blocking of the GK as it is then a waste of a corner.
In summary unless the attacker MOVED to block after the ball was put into play there was no offence on line of sight to the ball or simply standing in a position that the GK had to move around.
Have a look at this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z4qhvz9i_PA
While the quality is not great I do not see any offences here on the first two and a question mark over the 3rd one, although that looks doubtful as well.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Frans,
The offense of impeding an opponent (in this case the keeper)requires that the ball not be within playing distance while the attacking player is moving on the field so as to obstruct, interfere with, or block the path of an keeper.
I suggest you let the corner kick take place award an INDFK out if the opponent does what you describe or if contact is initiated award a DFK in favour of the keeper for charging, holding or pushing . I will point out that positioning in front of the keeper prior to the restart is something to be aware of as play develops or if it becomes a swarming around the keeper of multiple players.

There was a coach who thought he could use the surround the keeper on 4 sides to hem him in as a legal tactic given the right to stand where you want but soon found that losing possession every time was in fact pointless.
The blocking positioning in front MUST not permit actual contact or arm holding by the attacker on the keeper nor backing in on his feet. If the keeper has to use his arms out to ward off the attacker backing in that is VERY different versus a two handed shove of pushing to knock the attacker out of his way or driving a knee into the back claiming he had to go through.

A stationary opponent has to be circumvented not run over . Yet IF an attacker chooses to take a position that prevents the keeper from an easy look at the ball forcing him off his goal line, that is a good tactical move it is the subsequent following moves that are not. I find awarding free kicks out at every corner is sufficient rather than caution for persistent infringement or acts of USB prior to the restart. Yet the physicality of fighting for space between opponents, keeper included is something we must clamp down on prior to the restart. For you to caution you must do it for the reasons cautions are stated for and must meet your standards of necessity. Your Match, Your Decision, Your Reputation
Cheers

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

See Question: 30893