Question Number: 31286

Law 13 - Free Kicks 2/21/2017

RE: AYSO Under 13

Gray O'Brien of Santa Monica, CA USA asks...

With time running out, an IFK foul committed by the defending goalkeeper occurs in the penalty area about 5 paces outside the goal area (teammate directly passes ball back to her keeper, keeper picks up ball in her hands). The CR for some reason tells the attacking player it is a DFK (...wait, it gets uglier...). Confusion amongst the attacking players abounds, but the player proceeds (following the referees verbal instructions and prompting that she can indeed shoot directly towards the goal, that it is a direct free kick) and yes, you guessed it she kicks a beauty into the goal. The referee signals good goal, points toward the center circle for the next restart. Before players are able to restart with a kickoff, the referee blows the whistle for the end of play.
Should the goal be allowed?
Can the CR 'disallow' the goal because he made a mistake by awarding a DFK instead of the IFK that it should have been?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Gray,
the ONLY possible free kick for the keeper illegally handling the ball insider her OWN PA is an INDFK. If she was OUTSIDE THEN a DFK could be awarded same as any other player.

If indeed the restart was 11 yards away the goal line inside the PA then a shot that sends the ball DIRECTLY into the goal, under the crossbar between the posts completely over the goal line without TOUCHING any one other than the kicker is an impossibility to allow under the LOTG unless it was a standard PK from the 12 yard pk spot!

The referee has erred under the LOTG by changing the circumstances for which a legal goal can be scored!

The fact no restart had yet occurred the referee could still have had his brain unfreeze and go back to that restart and take it correctly if he would discount the time in-between as added on time because it was wasted, not used up. The LOTG do say only for a PK do we extend time but we can still add time for time wasted.

I is certainly protestable but then again what the ROC permits, what is reasonable or actually doable will be something the review committee on such things will decide on!
Hopefully such re-education for the official is passed along in the interim.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
A goal could not be allowed here. The free kick should have been an IDFK and a goal cannot be scored directly.
To sort this out the referee could have disallowed the goal, gone back to the free kick and had it retaken as an IDFK.
The only remedy now is a protest which should the competition rules allow to proceed will be upheld. That is provided the referee concurs with your version of events in his submission to the appeals panel.
It is a disappointing error and one that should not happen. The only directfree kick to the attacking team inside the penalty area is a penalty kick.