Question Number: 32258

Law 8 - The Start and Restart of Play 2/24/2018

RE: PREMIER Adult

IBRAHIM ISHIAKU of LOKOJA, KOGI NIGERIAN asks...

Question
Team A starts the 2nd half but it's should been Team B's turn to take the kick off for the 2nd half. after 1mins of play the team B captain run to the referee and tell him that my team should have started the 2nd half because it's was team a who takes the kick-off in the first period. As the Referee what will i do?.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ibrahim
The best decision can be to do nothing. Hopefully if play has already restarted once with a throw in, free kick whatever the referee then cannot do anything so the question then does not arise.
Technically if play has not had a restart in the 2nd half the referee could go back to the last decision which was the kick off and correct it. If a lengthy period of uninterrupted play has occurred the advice on other errors such as a missed offside flag is to let it slide. I doubt though that many referees would bother to go back and just continue. If there was an immediate goal scored say directly from the kick off the referee should correct the error.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ibrahim,
my suggestion do a better job of remembering the kick off procedure so this does not occur. If there has been no stoppage/restart SINCE you restarted incorrectly, you might get away with restarting the half correctly. Chances are good that if nothing had occurred of consequence & play has had its share of stops and starts we just get on with it!

IF a goal was scored off the kick off or shortly after due to the team scoring because of the unfair kick off it could be grounds to protest and if match could not be altered by the information immediately to offset the injustice it should be recorded in the match report so those in charge can rule on its legitimacy. Cheers