Question Number: 32500

Kicks From The Penalty mark 6/10/2018

RE: Competitive Under 13

Dennis Patterson of Louisville, OHIO United States asks...

Our championship game ended with a tie. We do pks to decide winner. Apparently our goalie moved before the ball was in play. There was an AR who raised the flag
Then put it down. The goalies changed. Our player was ready, the ball was set. Then the AR gets the ref and they huddle and let the other team rekick. Is this allowed We play competitive u12.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Dennis,
If the keeper is considered to have encroached, and the kick is missed, then the kick is retaken and the keeper must be cautioned. It sounds like the AR decided to call encroachment, had some indecision, and the refereeing team discussed it and decided it was encroachment. While the initial indecision is never a good look, they conferred and reached a decision which is a good approach.
Of course, the decision should be made well before the next kicker is in place. The referee has up until the next kick occurs to change the decision - but it shouldn't have taken that long. So there's nothing that indicates the referees have done anything wrong as such, but they didn't do it well.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Dennis,
You don't say what was the result of the penalty kick where your keeper moved early. If it was a goal, the score should stand. If the penalty was not scored, it should be retaken - and according to the law your goalie should have been cautioned.

It was not the best mechanics to wait for the players to be in position for the next penalty before conferring and coming to the decision that the previous penalty should be retaken but it is permissible since the next kick had not actually been taken yet.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dennis
Thanks for the question
Poor mechanics here rather than a misapplication of the Law caused the issue.
When the AR raised his flag it was to signal I assume for encroachment by the goalkeeper off his line before the kick was taken. As the kick was missed the correct decision was a caution for the goalkeeper and a RETAKE.
Now obviously that did not get conveyed immediately or picked up by the referee so it was assumed that the next kick would proceed.
The AR knew that was not correct so he alerted the referee to his flag which should have remained UP until dealt with by the referee. When the referee was informed that the raised flag was for encroachment by the GK then the only possible decision was a retake. It made no difference that the next kick was being set up.
Indeed the Laws go as far as to say that the retake can be by another player who has not already taken a kick.
So the retake was allowed and the correct decision was made. Only the mechanics of how the decision was made was at question and had it been handled correctly with an immediate retake it would have raised less questioning. Retakes however from experience always raise conflict
Have a look at this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L75LugM6IHA
The goalkeeper was sent off for a second caution on encroachment and a retake.