Question Number: 35697

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/14/2024

RE: Varsity High School

David E Frankson of Oregon, WI United States asks...

Recent game, varsity H.S. game, well played by two high level opponents. I was AR1. Question relates to GK possession and safety. Scenario: Corner kick by Team A from AR1 corner. Ball lofts high in the air and will land around the 12 in front of the goal. Team B GK jumps straight up, high in the air, head AND arms above the mass of players around him, and catches the ball securely in his outstretched arms, high above the other players' heads, with both hands securely on either side of the ball. There is firm possession of the ball by the GK as he returns to the pitch surface from being in the air. As he returns, while coming straight down and not diagonally over any other players, and while he brings the secured ball down from his outstretched arms to his chest, he is surrounded by 4 immediate players (2 from each team) and incidental contact occurs because they are all right there together immediately next to each other. In the process of bringing the ball from his outstretched arms to his chest, a very standard and typical move by a GK, that incidental contact with others immediately around him causes the ball to jar loose and tumble to the ground. The CTR was in close proximity to the activity and had an eagle eye on the situation, as did I from my corner. The CTR (an excellent ref that does many high levels of USSF, H.S., and College) allowed the play to continue, because it was his belief that the GK had to maintain possession to be in possession (rather like the NFL rules, imo), and that his act of bringing the ball down and contacting other players causing the ball to come loose negated the possession (or established that there was not yet possession). I, on the other hand, believe that a GK, once he has possession, cannot be relieved of that possession through incidental contact by an unidentified player or players, assuming that the GK himself has not committed a foul in the process of obtaining possession. I would have blown the whistle, stopped play, and given a free kick to Team B. Refs are also tasked with protecting the GK, especially when he is at his most vulnerable, in a position where his body and arms are completely stretched out. If possession can be negated by contact with other players, then GK safety is at risk imo. This was a discussion item, not a beef, and while I was about to raise my flag to indicate a foul (interfering with the GK while having possession) for a stoppage of play, I was simultaneously watching the CTR and saw that he was not stopping play, so I did not raise my flag, respecting the CTR's right to interpret play on the field when in a position to do so, which I firmly believe in. Your thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi David,
you can AR for me anytime. I enjoyed your thought process as well as your attitude and evaluations. I suspect you went over this with him in the post game? Also given play continued did you notice any defending /keeper dissent?

For what it is worth, if the keeper is in possession as you described and is coming back to ground, offering only an opinion, having not witnessed the event I believe as you are adamant in how you thought this occurred, if the opponents, on their own contact him and knock the ball free, a free kick out! If it simply is proximity and contact occurs and he drops the ball, there is more room for interpretation.

If the arms are extended before he can pull the ball in tight it is plausible to have the extended arms contact close in opponents, possibly jarring the ball loose. Given the proximity of surrounding opponents vying for possession, depending on how this capture within the scrum of PA on free kicks occurred, collisions might be inevitable. You discounted the obvious type of contact when the keeper reaches up and over their own defenders as well as opponents often trying to punch the ball, aware that by catching, it is likely to be knocked loose! The surrounding defenders and opponents jostling is likely the key to the on field referee decision in that he is not holding the opposition as running into the keeper simply the defenders' and opposition together created a bad environment for control and they simultaneously were just grouped together causing contact with no blame attached .

In your match as a CR it would be your decision, your reputation!

Once a keeper has the ball in their hands, no opponent can challenge and should make an effort to turn away, if possible, to avoid contact. They certainly can not barge or run into the keeper as an outstretched keeper is vulnerable yet safety is for all participants not exclusive to the keeper who often get away with raised feet and high knees.

Just ask Gonzalo Higuaín of Argentina when he was one-on-one with Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer back at the 2014 WC in Brazil and was utterly destroyed by the knee of the leaping German keeper in what was, in my opinion one of the greatest missed blatant fouls by the referee. Aside from missing the foul, they awarded a free kick to Germany after Manuel Neuer had punched the ball out into touch for what should have been a Argentinian throw in. No VAR back then!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
Thanks for the post.

There are two matters to consider here.

The first one is there an offence / infraction by the attacking team on the goalkeeper? Has the goalkeeper come for a ball into a crowd of players and made contact of his own making and then falls on top of players including his own players and then spilling the ball in the process. I suspect that was the referee saw which is why he did not call it immediately?.

You state that a goalkeeper “cannot be relieved of that possession through incidental contact by an unidentified player or players, assuming that the GK himself has not committed a foul in the process of obtaining possession””

That is not technically correct as the goalkeeper can be the cause of the incidental contact and therefore an opponent has done nothing other than maybe just stood there in that position.

What is not legal is where a goalkeeper has the ball and an opponent challenges the goalkeeper causing the ball to be released.
There is a world of difference between a spill by goalkeepers of their own making colliding with team mates and opponents and opponents challenging goalkeepers for the ball while in possession.

The second point is that I suspect that the referee may have stopped play for an injury. You do not indicate what the restart was and whether it was a drópped ball to the goalkeeper or a free kick?
The referee may have decided that with a prone goalkeeper who has landed on players that the safest decision is to stop the game.

Final point is that you state that the referee was in close proximity to the activity and had an eagle eye on the situation. I do not know the referees pre match instruction or the nuances of NFHS games yet assuming this was not covered I would not be raising a flag here in a FIFA game. It is outside an ARs area of control in the goal mouth and with the referee looking straight at it a referee may not welcome a raised flag.
ARs when they are better positioned than the Referee may flag for an offence and where the referee has not clearly acted on the clear offence. If the assistant referee has additional information, concerning the offence, they wish to give to the referee a discreet signal may be used, but only to supplement the flag signal already given.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

David,

You are correct. As indicated in NFHS Rule 12-1-2c1: A player shall not in any manner charge the goalkeeper in possession of the ball in the penalty area unless the goalkeeper is obstructing the player or dribbling the ball with the feet. Possession or control of the ball includes anytime the goalkeeper has the ball trapped by either or both hands or when bouncing the ball or dribbling the ball with the feet.

The call should have been a direct kick for the goalkeeper's team.

I would like to make two additional comments. In high school play, I found it advantageous to work the three whistle rather than the one whistle referee system. Having the side official for plays inside the penalty often has an advantage because the side official gets a better view of the play. The other comment concerns the term pitch. High school soccer is played on a field.

I do hope you have a very successful fall season and get to work in the WIAA boys state tournament in November.