Question Number: 30988

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/1/2016

RE: D1 College

Bruce of Baltimore, MD USA asks...

I'm curious what your opinions are of the following video:

https://youtu.be/GuMWLOBEO8k

1. Goalkeeper seems to gets possession and somebody knocks it loose.
2. Goalkeeper brings down attacker.

Also, there was an incident where a defender, in attempting to clear a ball from the PA, spins as she kicks with arm slightly extended for balance and hits her own hand with the ball. A defender kicking the ball up field from their own PA would never intentionally want to handle it, so could there ever be handling in that circumstance?

Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bruce
1. I am really not sure here. The goalkeeper seems to get possession and then the ball is dropped. It is unclear what caused that drop and whether it was knocked out of the GK's grasp or challenged in possession which are fouls or the ball bounced out of the GK grasp which is not a foul just poor goalkeeping. I think there is sufficient doubt to accept the call and probably on the way it was *sold* by the referee
I would opine here that the referee is not in a good position. He has no view of the lead AR and then he is looking through a crowd of players face on which rarely gives a good angle of view. I would rather see him to the left of the penalty area and then follow the cross into the area as play develops.
2. For me I would not call the penalty kick here. The tell tale sign of the ball moving away in a different angle tells me that the GK got contact on the ball and that the player contact had to be a subsequent coming together.
Now the CR does not have the benefit of action replay or freeze frame so I can see how it can be given.
BTW under the new FIFA Laws of the Game 2016 this would not be a sending off as it is a penalty kick and the goalkeeper made a genuine attempt to play the ball. It is now a caution only.

On deliberate handling I do not see any in the clip. The only possible one is where the ball bounces up off a defenders knee and maybe it touched a hand on the way up. I am not sure and it would be a very difficult call for the referee to make whatever about the lead AR. There does not appear to be an appeal and anyway advantage sorts it or for that matter the no call. For me these types of contract on the hand are rarely if ever deliberate. The player has no intention nor deliberately moves her hand to the ball. There is also not sufficient time to move away from the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Bruce,
the Referee was not in the greatest of positions for angle but he was adamant and quick to say no goal on the possible interference on the keeper but I could not be certain if his AR helped on that call or not? The LOTG prevent ANY contact IF the keeper HAS ball possession in her hand. I can not say with any certainty if she took a knock or got rattled by proximity of the attacker ,camera angle inconclusive if the ball was knocked free or bounced free?


The PK? I thought harsh! The keeper made what looks like a well timed knock away and the attacker stepped on her leg and fell. There still was a DFK outside though that advantage could have brought back for the shirt pull. lol . I believe BECAUSE the attacker was briefly held up and her stumble led to a bit of a heavy touch it enabled the keeper to get to the ball first. Referee was a long way back when this play got its start with the shirt pull and subsequent redirect of the ball and attacker falling in great ompaloompa fashion helped sell something he was already thinking

If the red card was shown for DOGSO it was the was incorrect colour even if I agree to disagree it was or was not a foul. The LOTG were changed to mitigate a realistic attempt to play the ball into ONLY a caution. The tackle was certainly not SFP.

I dislike the word NEVER but it fits, most certainly VERY unlikely. Deliberate Handling is really an indiscernible mystery foul as its defining characteristics are determined by the opinion of the referee of the day, at that critical moment, from whatever angle of view he has based on his understanding of the LOTG and the spirit of their application,