Question Number: 34360

Law 8 - The Start and Restart of Play 9/28/2021

RE: High school Adult

Kevin of Chicago , Illinois USA asks...

Can a goal be scored directly from a kickoff in an outdoor 11 v 11 game? Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Kevin,
Yes it can.

Law 8 states:

"a goal may be scored directly against the opponents from the kick-off

if the ball directly enters the kicker’s goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opponents"

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

H Kevin,
yes it can, seen it done a time or two.
Nowadays given you can play the ball backwards as a dropback pass with a run up, I suspct it could occur if they catch a keeper a little too laxadazical off his line .

THis was as sweet an attenpt as good be!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XCBq8W-OsI

Sad part was they lost 5 to 1 lol
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Kevin
Yes a goal can be scored directly from a kick off but only on the opponents goal.

When the law was changed to allow the ball to be kicked backwards at a kick off it had to be amended to not allow an own goal. I’ve never seen it yet it is possible.

Referee Dawson has shown an example of a legal goal directly from the kick off. Here is another two
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H1_-UqcmgdQ
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qQSLRGU1gEc