Question Number: 31846

Law 16 - The Goal Kick 9/30/2017

RE: rec Under 11

Garrett of Angleton, Texas united states asks...

On a goal kick, once the goalie sets the ball in one corner, backs up to kick it, then changes her mind, runs up and picks the ball up and moves it to the other corner, is this legal? and if not, what should the call be?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Garrett
The restart does not change. It is still a goal kick.
Now the question has to be asked as to why that happened. At younger age group the GK may have been told to kick from one side of the goal area and forgot. It can be a whim that changed his mind.
At older age groups it is likely that it could be for time wasting purposes in which case it is a caution for delaying the restart of play and the lost time is added on. Even with the caution the restart is still a goal kick.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It used to be, more than 20 years ago, that a goal kick had to be taken from the same side of the goal area as the ball went out. Now, the only requirement is that the ball is placed in the goal area.

As ref McHugh says, unless this is an attempt to waste time, it's no problem.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Garrett,
Simply moving the ball from one side of the goal area to the other is not illegal per se. It would only be if the referee were of the opinion that this was done in order to delay the restart of play that the player could be cautioned but if the referee is not convinced of this fact then no action would be needed. In any event, the restart would not change, it would still be a goal kick.

If a referee suspects time wasting but is not sure, they might choose to verbally warn the keeper first, before proceeding to a caution if the behaviour continues.