Question Number: 31905

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/15/2017

RE: Competitive Under 19

Aaron Speca of Virginia Beach, VA United States asks...

There's a lot going on with this play. There is a possible handball by Blue that is not called. Then there is a battle over the ball that ultimately resulted in a foul called against Blue. Based on the spot of the CR and the motion of the CR (off camera) of a push off and no motion for advantage, I would say he was not playing advantage off of the handball so the call was a pushoff on Blue and a DFK for Red (which resulted in a goal). From my vantage both at the time and off of the replay, there was an awful lot of involvement from the arm of Red player and none from arms of the Blue player.

Maybe it was karmic justice for what should have been a handball call earlier in the play.

FYI, this was the same match as the last video I submitted where the weak penalty call on Blue (that was in the 5th minute) resulted in the only other shot, let alone goal, of the game for Red. The situation here was 3-1 Blue in the 60th minute of a 70-minute match.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onOYKtEnjHA

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Aaron
First off I would not give deliberate handling here. The ball has come from short distance and hits the Blue player on the arm.
On the foul I would opine that a foul should have been called on Red for the use of the arm on Blue earlier in the contest for the ball. I really cannot see a foul by Blue here although the video does not give a good view and from the reaction of Red players I suspect that they did not see a foul either.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Aaron,
hmmm
the handling by blue not readily given at that age and in that manner as the arms were in a relatively normal position ALTHOUH admittedly I have see such fouls awarded at elite levels . That said the no call here does not bother me! !
I see two clear fouls by red actually! The first was red #28 running into the side of blue 16 without contacting the ball forcing her to lose possession . Then the arm push in the back of the blue defender by the large red player ahead of whatever foul was being awarded by the CR at the spot he was pointing too I can not fathom???
It was not a delayed advantage of the handling, too far up and I could not see a clear foul by blue although PERHAPS an arm across the chest of the red player trying to hold or push off her was in his mind? That is pure speculation given I saw no evidence of any other clear foul nor by the player reactions did they???
Cheers