Question Number: 34585

Kicks From The Penalty mark 5/7/2022

RE: Comp Under 19

Mark Krawiec of Rocklin, CA USA asks...

Recent Norcal U19 Boys state cup playoff game out in Davis, CA. Ends even, goes into penalty kicks.

During one attempt, the player slips, ends up double touching the ball, which slips past the keeper.

After the usual discussion between the refs, the kick is allowed to be retaken.

What just happened? And what is the call if the double touch offense by the kicker happened during this phase. Can't very well award an indirect free kick...

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Mark,

The correct decision should have been to disallow the goal with no retake. It would be the same if the kicker, instead of taking a shot, tapped the ball to themselves then shot. During the game itself, that would be an indirect free kick to the defence. During Kicks From The Mark, it's simply the end of the kick (because, as you say, you can't award an IFK)

The fact that he slipped is unfortunate, but doesn't change anything.

I saw a clip recently of a high level match - can't recall which - where the same thing happened, but during normal play at a Penalty Kick. I believe it was VAR who actually picked up the 2nd touch - the goal was disallowed.

It may seem harsh by the referee, but this is a black-and-white law - and I believe that when referees go against the laws, they create more problem for themselves.

If that retaken kick went in and that team won the match, going against the law like this may potentially open up appeals against the match result.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mark,
Unfortunately, the match officials got this one wrong.

The law is quite clear on this. It states that during kicks from the penalty mark:

"the kicker may not play the ball a second time"

As my colleague ref Wright says, the correct decision should have been to disallow the goal and simply move on to the next kick.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
Thanks for the question.

Unfortunately the laws do not take account of playing errors or mistakes so if a players slips and falls then so be it. If that player commits an offence during that slip then the offence must be called. So for example if a player slipped and tripped an opponents that fall and trip of an opponent would be called as a direct free kick offence.

In the same way if a player slipped while taking a penalty kick or a free kick and played the ball twice then that is a double touch infringement which as you state has an IDFK restart. If it is a penalty kick in regular play it is an IDFK restart and in Kicks from the Penalty Mark then it is counted as a miss.

Now I am unsure why it was decided that it should be a retake. All I can think of is that the two officials incorrectly decided that as a goal was scored that the correct decision was a retake on an infringement when a goal was scored. That though is usually only on encroachment by an attacker so the double touch makes for a clear IDFK restart or in the case of KFTPM it is declared a miss.

Some double touch kicks are difficult to discern
Here was one picked up by the referee during a game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPQwfETH8jw