Question Number: 35282

Law 3 - The Players 12/13/2023

RE: Comp Under 13

Peter of Stockton, CA USA asks...

Recently I was center referee at a tournament. During one of the plays near the end of the game, the blue team goalkeeper dove for the ball that was headed into her net. She stopped the ball but had no control over it. The ball was stopped next to her head but she had no part of her body touching the ball. An attacker was close by and tapped the ball into the net - note tapped, not a full on kick.

The blue team coach was livid that I allowed the goal to stand because it endangered his player (the goalkeeper lying on the grass).

The goalkeeper got up and was more concerned about her legs and hip than she was about the "kick to the head" that the coach claimed.

Oh, as three follow ups: (1) I talked with the attacker and informed her that the goal stood because she had tapped in the ball and not put the keeper in any further danger. (2) After the game, one of the Blue team player's came to give me a piece of her mind telling me that I was a bad person and her coach was in the right and I should have listened to him - she got a yellow for her efforts - I know that the yellow meant little after the game but I felt that her tirade was inappropriate. (3) After his player got a yellow, the blue coach again came at me yelling about the allowed goal and the yellow card, so he ended up with a yellow card to match - again did little except to make him tone things back a lot.

So, would you say that I made the correct call, or should I have stopped the game the second the keeper went down in a crowded area?

What are your thoughts on after the game cards - especially yellows? I am not a fan of them, and these two were the only ones I have issued in my many years of refereeing.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
Thanks for the question
As described your decision was entirely correct. The goalkeeper put herself on the ground with no control of the ball which was freely available to be played fairly and as you say tapped into the goal.

It would be a different situation had the attacker led with a raised boot towards the goalkeeper and even at that there would have to be a lack of attention or consideration when making such a challenge or acting without precaution.

Now there is nothing in the laws that requires a referee to stop play because a player has gone to ground close to the ball. Sure if that was the case a goalkeeper would simply fall to the ground beside any ball to get play stopped.
Many times goalkeepers will come out and dive at the feet of an attacker who may try to play the ball past the diving goalkeeper’s head. Is that ever considered an offence? No it is s not

Now hindsight is wonderful yet I would be cautioning the coach for his first livid outburst. That sends out a message that dissent is not going to be tolerated which may have given the Blue player second thoughts about her dissent.
My experience is that these livid outbursts rarely end at that. I saw a game recently where a similar outburst was not punished until a second outburst resulted in a caution. That later caution ended the dissent from that particular coach. If no card is produced it sort of gives a free pass at dissent with the second incident only resulting in a caution.

In our Leagues cautions are cumulative so they do matter as once the player reaches the suspension limit the player will miss the next game.
In addition if the player persists then a second card is required followed by a red card.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Peter,

High school rule NFHS 12-7-1 states: A player shall not participate in dangerous play, which is an act an official considers likely to cause injury to any player. This includes playing in such a manner which could cause injury to self or another player (opponent or teammate).

Thus, it is up to you to decide if an injury is likely to occur. In your example, you did not, and the result proved you correct.

I do think that at this age of the players and a player laying on the ground with the ball near their head, you would also have been correct if you had called a dangerous play.

I hope you have a successful winter soccer season.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Peter .
Despite these brave youths in goal flinging themselves head first into the oncoming feet of danger it seems every time a young lady keeper found herself in kind of a tough spot almost ALWAYS the coaches are screaming about safety.

While PIADM is a opinion based foul requiring a certain criteria to be perceived by the official, apparently stoppages for just in case situations are rather expected and often given.

PIADM is somewhat preventative as it is plausible the player could have followed through kicking her in the head for a goal you likely disallow and award a DFK out with with a red card for SFP reduction of a player as well as deal with two angry coaches ! lol I know that in a hard challenge, if the keeper goes down, allowing the opposition to score in the aftermath, weighs in hard as unfair whether or not it just luck of the draw!

The tap in goal being allowed and explanation for me is adequate. The coach could have grumbled a bit to make a point and moved on but instead took it further than he needed.

It is could likely be more to do with the results than the action, dare I assume this team lost? Coaches generally want their players to be safe , have fun and hopefully win a few matches. A referee with integrity calls what they see from their angle of view at moment it occurs based their understanding of the LOTG and wants the exact same minus caring who wins! .

Dissent even if justified as part of the game, has a finite tolerance of acceptable when pushed, warnings, cautions and more can follow if we can not agree to disagree and move on!

Cheers and Merry Christmas