Question Number: 31512

Law 16 - The Goal Kick 5/6/2017

RE: Competitive Under 13

Edward of Dallas, TX Usa asks...

Had this happen to me in a youth (U12) game. I was the AR on this particular play.

Keeper goes to take goal kick. However, the wind was fairly strong that day (gusts over 30 mph) and when she kicked it the ball blew backwards over her team's own goal line without ever leaving the 18 yard box. The center and I discusses it and we ended up awarding a goal kick since it technically didn't leave the 18 yard box. Is that the right call?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Edward
Yes well done. That is the correct call. As the ball was not put into play though leaving the penalty area the only option is a retake. Had the ball left the penalty area either outbound or inbound then the ball was in play and the restart would have been a corner kick.
A goal cannot be scored directly here even if the ball left the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Edward,
You are correct. A player can never score directly against themselves from a restart, so had it gone into the goal that would not be an issue.
A corner kick is the restart when the ball crosses the line after being last touched by a defender when it's in play.

Here, the ball never went into play so the correct restart is a retake of the goal kick.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Edward,
You are spot on, if the ball has not COMPLETELY left the PA , then it is NOT in play and a retake is correct. IF the ball had left the PA and was blown back into the goal with no other touch it is a corner kick!
Cheers