Question Number: 30956

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/26/2016

RE: Adult

Damien of Athens, Greece asks...

In the folloing video at around 2:00 , the referee awards a Free Kick an cautions the defender.

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=wpGW5WjFyDU

My question is if in this case the defender should have been sent off for stopping an obvious goalscoring opportunity?
How the position of other defenders affect this oportunity? ,
If the goalkeeper counts as one of the defenders(or only field players count), given the fact that there is a posibility he would rush out and reach the ball before anyone else ?

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Damien
In these situations the referee has to decide What Happens Next. Does the Red defender to the right of the attacker get to make a challenge and the same for the defender to the left. How long does the attacker have before those possible challenges happen? Was the touch by the attacker so heavy that he moved the ball too far away? Was 28 yards from goal too far to be an opportunity. The referee decided that the goal scoring opportunity was in his opinion not OBVIOUS so he went with a caution. It could have gone the other way although on balance I think there is sufficient doubt to go with yellow. If he has gone with red there would also be questions on whether that was correct as well.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Damien,

FIFA QUOTE
Where a player denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a deliberate handball offence the player is sent off wherever the offence occurs.
Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offending player is cautioned unless:
• The offence is holding, pulling or pushing or
•  The offending player does not attempt to play the ball or there is no possibility for the player making the challenge to play the ball or
• The offence is one which is punishable by a red card wherever it occurs on the field of play (e.g. serious foul play, violent conduct etc.) In all the above circumstances the player is sent off.
The following must be considered:
• distance between the offence and the goal
• general direction of the play
• likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball
• location and number of defenders


A keeper is but 1 of 11 opponents so when we talk about the 2nd last defender we are talking about the 2nd last opponent who could easily be the keeper given players move about. Just because the keeper is USUALLY the last guy he is NOT always the last guy he can be 2nd last 3rd 4th heck he can move up field and score at he opposite end of the field and be the 11th last or 1st closest lol he could even be guilty of being offside himself if you grasp he is just a player who has the right to use his hands inside his own area .

We caution show a yellow card for either a reckless penal foul or an act of USB or some other misconduct a player engages in.
Under the NEW LOTG we are told that IF the penal offence occurs inside the PA and is now upgraded to a PK what WOULD have been a RED card for DOGSO is no longer applicable as the PK is in fact the opportunity being granted. We are told to caution the action as USB and show only the yellow card UNLESS we see the criteria of cynical tactical holding with no attempt to play the ball. If the tackle is SFP then DOGSO is not the consideration as it is the excessive force used not the criteria which is judged.

OUTSIDE the PA the red card for DOGSO is still in effect but we look at EACH situation with an open mind as to the validity of whether the opportunity to score is OBVIOUS. As an addendum I point out a keeper CAN NOT be guilty of deliberate handling inside his OWN PA but outside, different story!

Recently in a high level match a keeper exited his PA right out by the penalty arc, made a bad pass and the smart opponent tried to chip him as a shot to goal. The keeper instinctively jumped up as high as he could and finger tipped the ball away from goal. There was at least two or three defenders closer to the goal line and closer than the opponent BUT that tip SAVED a goal as it was a high lob, the defenders were in no position to chase it down and it was definitely on target. The result an immediate stoppage, red card shown, the keeper sent off, DFK awarded, keeper's team was down a player forced to find new keeper and play with 10. It was a CLEAR DOGSO by the deliberate handling of a keeper OUTSIDE his PA.

Take that SAME situation but move the location it to the far right corner of the PA near the goal line, touchline and the corner flag put 1 defender in the goal we no longer have an OBVIOUS situation. The angle to goal very severe, the fact a defender on the line could easily clear it if it did manage to be on target . In this situation we could likely CAUTION show a yellow card and award a DFK.

I hope this helps you grasp the nuances but hang in there it is often difficult to grasp the entire picture given how fast play can develop. My opinion of the video incident? The defender was fortunate not to be sent off! That said, the CR must have been satisfied the keeper moving forward and heavy force of the last ball touch and perhaps the approaching defender from the right or left made it unlikely the opportunity was obvious. That is his match, his decision, his reputation! Keep in mind we are biased when looking at things in slow motion, rewinding and replaying, real time decisions are much different.

Cheers