Question Number: 31787

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/14/2017

RE: Rec Under 15

Mario viteri of Katy, Tx USA asks...

The forward was on a break away, only had the goalie to beat. The goalie came out of the penalty box and punched the ball away. He did not touch (foul) the attacker at all.The ref gave him a red card for negating a real scoring opportunity. Was a red card the right call?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mario,
If I understand your description correctly, a player (in this instance the keeper) has denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball outside the penalty area. In this situation a red card is entirely the correct decision.

The Law on this could hardly be clearer:

''Where a player denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a deliberate handball offence the player is sent off wherever the offence occurs.''

Of course the normal DOGSO considerations apply. Although your description is not massively detailed, it would seem that the distance criterion is met and assuming the criteria for direction, number of defenders and likelihood of the forward keeping or gaining control of the ball were also met, this would seem a fairly clear and straightforward decision.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mario
Outside the penalty area the goalkeeper is just like any other player. The referee opined in your scenario that the goalkeepers actions denied a goal or a goalscoring opportunity in which case the correct decision was made to dismiss the player.
Referee Grove has quoted the relevant section of Law 12
Here are example from the Pro game of goalkeeper making contact with the ball with the arms / hands outside the penalty area. Not all resulted in red cards and in fact some where not given as handling. The last one would not be be given as an obvious goal scoring opportunity due to the location of the offence and the manner of the handling. So deliberate handling by the goalkeeper is not a red card in every single scenario.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=byUdVvKXhck
Learning point for goalkeepers is that outside the penalty area when all the conditions of denying a goal or goal scoring opportunity are present they are treated like outfield players and run a high risk of a red card. GK should not use their hands in such circumstances. When the obvious goal scoring conditions exist referees will view these as blatantly unsporting and the law requires that in such circumstances the player is dismissed.