Question Number: 32309

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/15/2018

RE: Competitive Under 19

Salvador Flores of Indianapolis, IN United States asks...

For a deliberate pass back to the keeper and he picks it up, it is considered an IDFK. What happens if a defender dribbles the ball inside the penalty area, can the keeper pick it up if it was dribble?
For example, a player receives a ball from a goal kick and the player goes back into the penalty area dribbling and before the ball is outside the penalty area, the keeper picks it up. Is that a deliberate pass back?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Salavador
well it is being deliberately kicked with the feet so there is a good chance it could be particularly if it was being shielded and moved towards the keeper. However, there will be circumstances where a defender is trying to clear the ball and in traffic is trying to dribble or knock it free a keeper might jump on the ball as it is being challenged for by the opposition having last been played with the defender's foot. Try not to look for excuses to call an INDFK for keeper just trying to do their duty!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Salvador
A team mate dribbling the ball in it into the penalty and deliberately leaving it for his goalkeeper is deemed to have deliberately kicked the ball to his goalkeeper punished by an IDFK. The direction and distance of the kick is not defined in the Laws.
There can be situations though where for example in a scramble for the ball that a goalkeeper dives on the ball as part of a save having been last touched by a team mate. Referees should not consider that a deliberate kick to the GK.