Question Number: 34332

Law 10 - Determining the Outcome of a Match 9/10/2021

RE: Adult

Philip Conde of Gwynfryn, Wrexham, Denbighshire United Kingdom asks...

What would the situation be if a match went to a penalty shoot out and one of the teams had had a player sent of during normal or extra time. If the penalty shoot out went to sudden death and the first ten players on each side scored who would take the eleventh penalty for team that was down to ten men. Thanks Phil

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
This is covered in Law 10 in relation to the section on Kicks from the Penalty Mark.

The team with eleven players gets to reduce by one player to equate to the opponents number of players. So both team start the Kicks with 10 player. Clearly it would unfair if a team had to use its eleventh and last kicker when the opponents could use any of its 10 players.

This was also recently amended in that previously if a player was sent off during the kicks the reduce to equate principle did not continue to apply after the start. That was seen as unfair so the current law was updated and now states that both teams should have an equal number of players on the field during KFTPM.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Philip,
The LOTG provides a reduced-to-equate principle, at the taking of KFTPM whereby a team that has been reduced in numbers be it send-offs or injuries will force the opposing team to reduce their available roster of penalty kickers to match their legal numbers. At the start of this, there must be a minimum of 7 players but it could in theory go below that number. If during KFTPM one team or the other has players sent off or injured further reducing their numbers you reduce the other team as well. As KFTPM is a method to determine the winner, not complete a match, the 7 player minimum rule would not apply. There are no substitutions permitted during KFTPM with ONE EXCEPTION if it was the keeper who was injured & there was still a substitution available to that team. It would be noted by a referee if a team DELIBERATELY tried to have a player(s) sent off to mess with the other team. All legal available players must take a PK at least once before ANY can go a 2nd time.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Philip,
Since, as outlined by my colleagues and because of the reduce to equate clause, both teams would only have 10 penalty takers in this situation, who takes the 11th penalty (for both teams) is any one of the first 10 penalty takers, as chosen by the team.