Question Number: 33582

Law 14 - The Penalty kick 8/19/2019

RE: 4 Professional

Rocky of Mumbai, Maharashtra India asks...

Q1. In a penalty kick, can the kicker score a goal if the ball has rebounded off the post?

Q2. As per the new laws, since defending players are allowed to receive the ball inside the penalty area, what if the goalkeeper accidentally throws the ball into his own goal?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Rocky,
1. No player is allowed to touch the ball twice in succession at a dead ball restart. So if at a penalty, the ball rebounds from the frame of the goal and the penalty taker touches it again before another player has done so, it would result in an indirect free kick.

2. If at any time, a goalkeeper has the ball legally in their hands and throws it into their own goal, a goal would be awarded. The change in the law for goal kicks makes no difference to the law regarding this scenario.

I should just mention that as it currently stands, even if a player receives the ball inside their own penalty area, that does not somehow allow the goalkeeper to immediately handle the ball. For instance the practice of the goalkeeper flicking the ball up to a team mate for them to head or chest it back to the keeper is not currently allowed and would result in a retake, at least until further notice (the IFAB is still reviewing this).

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Rocky,

1) No, this would be an indirect free kick - same as if the player touched it twice at any other free kick. If, however, the goalkeeper touched the ball then the attacker can touch the ball again (as long as we haven't extended the half JUST for the penalty kick)

2) Defending players are allowed to receive the ball inside the penalty area at a goal kick. If you're talking about the goalkeeper throwing the ball into their goal then this can't be a goal kick as goal kicks are kicks from the ground.

If you're talking about the keeper catching the ball in normal play - defenders could always receive the ball from this anywhere on the field, and as the ball is still in play, the keeper could score an own goal. This is not a restart of play as the ball is caught when it is still in play.

Players can never score an own goal directly from a restart.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rocky
1. In this instance the ball must be touched by a second player for the kicker to touch the ball for a second time. If it rebounds off the frame off the goal an IDFK will be awarded to the defending team from where the player touched the ball for a second time.
Where the ball to rebound from the goalkeeper then there is no restriction on the kicker playing the ball.
2. If the goalkeeper has the ball in his hands it is likely that the ball is in play so in event of the goalkeeper throwing the ball into the goal the referee will award a goal.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=feMkeG-SxkM
IFAB has advised that a goalkeeper may not receive the ball into the hands from a goal kick inside the penalty area. If that happens the kick is retaken so the question does not arise.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 33586