Question Number: 30987

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/1/2016

RE: Rec Under 15

dave of asheville, NC USA asks...

A striker has complete control of the ball, brings it inside the penalty area (PA), and gets off a very good shot. A tenth of one second later, a challenging defender who was trailing him by a very short distance, runs into him from the side and knocks him over (not violently, no injury, attacker got right back up).
I gave a verbal word to the defender.
About ten minutes later, it happens again, with same striker and same defender. The shot is cleanly taken, and then the attacker is sent to the ground from being knocked down by the defender..this time a little harder, but not exceptionally violent.

This is in a tournament game.
May I caution the defender at this stoppage (the ball went over the goal line, going to be restarted with a goal kick) without awarding a PK? Or do I have to award the PK if I'm going to bring attention to the collision?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dave
As it is likely that the contact happened while the ball is in play the defender has committed a foul which with contact results in a direct free kick or penalty kick restart.
If the ball was out of play and the contact happened at that time then that is misconduct and the restart does not change which in this case was a goal kick.
Personally If I am cautioning for a late challenge I am going with the foul and the penalty kick.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Dave, for me if you are going to caution the player, the only way you can avoid giving the penalty is if the ball had already crossed the goal line before the collision took place. I don't see any way that you could hold that an offence involving physical contact with an opponent while the ball is in play could be worthy of a caution but not a free kick (or penalty if it occurs inside the area).