Question Number: 32660

Law 10 - Determining the Outcome of a Match 8/20/2018

RE: Other

Ákos of Budapest, Pest Hungary asks...

Greetings!
I would like to know, if a goalkeeper can score a goal by direcly tossing the ball into the opposing team's goal.
i have found older answers for this question, but i would like to know if is it still like that or is it changed since then.
Thank you for your answer.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Akos
No change as there has been no need to. The ball is in play so a goal can be scored while the ball is in play and no offence has been committed by the scoring team. If the goalkeeper can throw the ball from his penalty area all the way into the opponents goal the referee will award a goal.
It is a mighty long throw and I have never seen it happen or even close. At best maybe 20+ yards into the opponents half is the furthest I have seen a throw
In small sided games with reduced field sizes it is usually not allowed as a goal by a special competition rule.
On a regular pitch the goal is good if it can be done. I doubt it.
Here is a throw being cited as the longest GK throw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rQLeVRqulb0
If he could have thrown the ball into the opponents goal the goal would be awarded.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Akos,
chances are a pointy ball manager would be thinking with an arm like that make him an offer to play quarterback. lol legal but unlikely.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Akos,
Nothing has changed in this regard since the earlier answers you saw. It is still the case that if a keeper were capable of throwing the ball far enough (which would be highly unusual except on a reduced-size pitch) the goal would be legal.