Question Number: 22686

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 12/30/2009

RE: Select Under 19

Harry Sommerfeld of Nanaimo, British Columbia Canada asks...

Defender A passes the ball back to his goalkeeper. Defender B runs across the field and deflects the ball. The ball is heading towards the goal and the Goalkeeper picks it up.
What if any, is the call.

My call was since B last touched it and it was not a deliberate pass back there is no infringement of the pass back rule.

Thanks

Harry

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Harry
As described the ball has not been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper and therefore it is not an IDFK. The reason I make that assumption is because the ball is headed for goal and it would be unfair to prevent the goalkeeper from doing his primary task of stopping the ball going into the goal by using his hands. It also does not suggest a deliberate kick to the keeper.
The only caveat is how this 'deflection' will look to the referee and whether it will look accidental or deliberate and what part of the body is deflects off. A skilled player can easily deliberately deflect the ball with a foot touch towards the keeper and that is a deliberate kick.

Read other questions answered by Referee Joe McHugh

View Referee Joe McHugh profile

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Deliberate pass is not the requirement, a deliberate kick is, nor is the direction relevant. What is relevant is this deflection! Was it a token glance off the back of a downed defender as the other defender tried to cradle the ball with his foot to his keeper? Or was it a simple miss kick as the other defender tried to play the ball? In reality your version is in my opinion not an indfk offence based on the timely intervention of player B!
Your no call is certainly credible and as a fact of play undisputable!
Cheers


Read other questions answered by Referee Richard Dawson

View Referee Richard Dawson profile

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

'Passes' is a global term in that a player can use any part of the body, except the arms, to pass the ball. 'Deflects' is also a global term because it has the same definition with the rider that the touch is not deliberate.

The ball that is deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper is the only pass we need to worry about when deciding if there has been an infraction. If we assume the pass in this case was a deliberate kick to the goalkeeper, the keeper cannot pick it up. The deflection muddies the water a bit. The strictest view would hold the deflection did not change the picture, and award the IDFK. That is a bit harsh.

It occurs to me that clever players (and select U19 qualify) may be testing plays to see what referees will let pass. If this happens once in a game, I'm most likely to deem it trifling or even doubtful, and choose as you did, to allow play to continue. If it something I'm seeing a lot in games in the area, or even more than once in one game, a little buzzer goes off in the head, and I will have a word with the players - or just blow the whistle. It would be interesting to hear their protestations - then I would know whether my surmise was correct or not.

Read other questions answered by Referee Michelle Maloney

View Referee Michelle Maloney profile