Question Number: 32485

Law 8 - The Start and Restart of Play 6/1/2018

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 32481

Following on this thread ...so if a player at a DB does dribble and score without the second person touch - what and where is the restart.

Is it IDFK on the goal area line in a location related to where the ball entered the goal ?

Similarly, if the player did unsporting behaviour and ran the ball to score, or seek some other advance (pass to a team mate), at what location do you call the foul / restart.

Is it at the location of the DB, or, where it first becomes obvious there the unsporting behaviour began?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
The Laws tell us that the restart is a goal kick where a goal has been scored without touching a second player or a corner kick if it is an error by the defending team in the same manner.
In the case of unsporting behaviour the referee should stop play, caution the offender and restart with an IDFK from where the offence took place.
For me if a player says he is giving the ball back, the dropped ball is uncontested then the referee has to make a call as to when to stop play or not depending on the situation. The referee has to make a judgement call on whether the action will result in USB or whether the ball is being given back.
Have a look at this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l1_RQI8Lcno
The goal was allowed and IMO the referee could have stopped play for what was said at the location of the dropped ball and the way play unfolded. I think that if the referee had stopped play and just went with a retake none of the problems that occurred afterwards would have happened including the Adriano suspension and fine by UEFA after the game.
BTW the scoring team did not allow a fair play goal to rebalance the travesty. So while the referee did not err in Law and that was pointed out by UEFA nonetheless IFAB states that the Laws cannot deal with every possible situation, so where there is no direct provision in the Laws, The IFAB expects the referee to make a decision within the *spirit* of the game – this often involves asking the question, *what would
football want/expect?* Here I say the game expects No goal.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Russell,
we must do as my esteemed colleague ref McHugh states what the players and the game expects of us in these situations. The restart of a goal kick by the dribbler who scores uncontested but if he stated he was giving it back then tries to bank it in off the keeper to avoid the goal kick the INDFK for USB from the there might be appropriate! Manufacturing trouble is not a good thing!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
Absent some other kind of misconduct as outlined by my colleagues, if a player were to dribble the ball and 'score' in the opponent's goal, the restart would be a goal kick.

In the case of unsporting behaviour the restart would be an indirect free kick from where it took place.