Question Number: 31472

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/22/2017

Zluvka of Liberec, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hi,

what do you think about this decision (about Son's 'foul') in FA Cup today?

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc12GfjYYYQ

Can the referee judge it as a foul attempt? (Victor Moses jumped, but...)

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Zluvka,
The law says it is an offence to trip, or attempt to trip an opponent. So it doesn't matter whether there was actual contact, the referee can still judge an attempt as sufficient grounds to award the foul.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Zluvka
In the modern game players that attempt to play the ball and fail to do so in challenges in the penalty area run the very high risk of a penalty being called when there is no contact on the ball. In a recent penalty award against Arsenal v Crystal Palace the forward anticipated the contact from the goalkeeper in a similar manner. See Question 31448
It was not a smart challenge by Son as he failed to play the ball when he slid in and then in such a position it will *offer* the opponent the opportunity to attract the foul. To the officials this will look like a foul as the ball is touched forward by the attacker with no contact on it by the defender and then with the players in such close proximity it will look like a trip or an attempt to trip after the ball is gone which is a foul.
Yes Moses could perhaps have *rode the challenge* yet there is no onus on him in the Laws to do so.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Zluvka,
The attacker utilized the defender to achieve a desirable outcome. Certainly possible the attacker COULD have just hopped over him to continue the attack. He simply took the easy sellable foul OH referee this guy is tripping me or at least trying too!
Cheers