Question Number: 32502

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/10/2018

RE: Under 13

Adam Barbary of Creswick, Vic Australia asks...

In a recent State championship a striker took a shot on goal only to have a defender, not the keeper,use two hands, in the goal square, in a deliberate attempt to push the ball over the net. Whilst contact was made the lift was not sufficient and the ball entered the goal. What is the appropriate call for this?
1) goal
2) penalty, no card
3) penalty, red card
4) other

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Adam,
4) Other. The decision should be goal and yellow card. Firstly, the goal is awarded using the advantage clause (there is nothing more advantageous to a team than a goal) and the yellow card is required as per the following wording which can be found in Law 12:

''There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour including if a player [...] handles the ball [...] in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent a goal.''

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Adam
The referee will play advantage here as a goal has been scored and the referee will caution the defender for unsporting behaviour.
Had the defender been successful in stopping the goal the decision would have been a penalty kick and a red card for denying a goal.
Now 99.99% of the times the referee will not have stopped the game before the ball crosses the goal line nor has he decided to do so before the goal is scored. In the unusual 00.01% of times where the referee has stopped play with a whistle before the ball crosses the line the decision is a penalty kick and a red card. Once the goal has been legitimately scored and in the spirit of the game it cannot be taken back to a PK and a red card.