Question Number: 35853

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/4/2025

RE: Under 16

Ty of Kamloops, BC Canada asks...

Hello and happy new year!

I have a question regarding the denial of promising attacks and obvious goal-scoring opportunities.

For DOGSO, the LOTG specifies the considerations that should be made: distance, direction, control, and defenders. However, for SPA, the considerations aren’t in the LOTG. What should you look for when deciding if a foul is SPA, or just a regular foul? Or if a foul is SPA or DOGSO?

I have heard that it’s SPA if some of the DOGSO considerations are there, but some are missing, but I’ve also heard that those considerations are specifically for DOGSO, and shouldn’t be used for SPA.

I have a pretty good understanding of what a SPA and DOGSO looks like while reffing, but I’d like to be able to call those less obvious ones correctly, or be able to tell when it’s closer to one but not quite so I can use verbal warnings more effectively.

TIA!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ty
A Happy New Year to you as well and thanks for the question.

A word of advice. The less obvious ones are not likely to stop a promising attack yet rather just a regular foul. So dont get overly focussed on looking for something that might not be there.

In a Promising Attack the player is moving forward with speed with ample space in front of the player with the ball to dribble, pass or shoot and/or ample space in front of teammates would could receive the ball.
The player with the ball has options to take on a defender or has other teammates to which the player could pass the ball to.

The key is that these considerations relate to a promising attack which has a possibility of becoming an opportunity to mount an attack that could result in a beneficial outcome such as a shot, a cross, drawing defenders out to cover space and not simply every forward movement.

There is generally a cynical, iniquitous nature to the offence to stop the player or the ball probably at all costs. The opponent is probably aware that without stopping the player or the ball that the attacker will exert strong pressure in creating that attack. These include deliberate handling to stop a through ball, pulling, tripping a player back or to the ground knowing that the player was going to be in an advantageous position with good space and perhaps create a numerical advantage.

There are a series of video on this site
https://youtu.be/ELh0CahbeYo?si=UdJehLJKLCe2rm-D

All show referees interpreting SPAs

As regards comparison to Denying an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity there are significant differences which include
The SPA can happen anywhere on the field
The direction does not necessarily have to be towards goal
There can be other defenders present
There does not have to be distance to the ball consideration as simply stopping a through ball with the hand can be an SPA.

Finally a referee can find multiple reasons for cautioning a player such as reckless, stopping a promising attack, showing a lack of respect, persistent infringement and USB.
A referee needs to consider the need for a caution rather than a rote approach. A referee should use the hierarchy of approach such as a quiet word, a public word and a caution. What is the minimum needed to maintain total control of the game and ensuring it is played in a sporting manner is all that is required.