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Question Number: 18948

Law 3 - Number of Players 5/1/2008

RE: Rec Under 16

Keenan of fort wayne, Indiana USA asks...

Hello.

If a player gets two yellow cards, can the coach sub a player for him? Or does the team have to play a man down?

Also, when a ref gives a yellow or red card, is it a direct free kick or an indirect free kick?

Thank you

Coach K

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

You pose some questions that lead me to think you have a very limited understanding of the laws of the game. You've come to the right place, but you might like to purchase your own copy and read up on it.

If a player is sent-off for ANY reason that player is not replaced, meaning they must play a man down. For a second caution the only exception to this is in US High School Soccer games played under the NFHS soccer rules. Otherwise there is no sub allowed. So a second caution that leads to a send-off (ejection) in any youth, adult, or college game = play short, high school = sub.

The referee often cautions and shows a player a yellow card or sends him off and shows the red card as a consequence of some sort of foul. That foul could be a direct free kick or an indirect free kick offense. If player is stopped exclusively to issue a card when no other foul has been committed (like dissenting the referee's call) then the restart is an indirect free kick. But say if a player punches an opponent while the ball is in play, then the guilty party is sent-off and shown the red card for violent conduct and the game is restarted with a direct free kick (or penalty kick, depending on the location of the foul.)

Lastly, misconduct may occur while the ball is out of play. In this case let's say the ball has gone out for a corner kick and after that the goalkeeper dissents the referees decision to give a corner. The referee would caution the keeper and show him the yellow card. Then the game is restarted with a corner kick. In those cases always restart the game for the reason the ball went out of play in the first place.

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