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Soccer Referee Questions on Soccer Rules

You-Call-It 46

Question...

Green player has tried to come for a cross and slide way off the field into the netted area of the goal forcing the keeper to leap out of the way. You have decided there was no foul. As he tries to get up, the irate red keeper trying to clear his area, forcibly pushes/escorts him back into the field into an offside position . A chance shot from a bad angle by a green teammate accidently catches his elbow as he was recovering from the keeper's push . The ball deflects favourably into the goal.
Your call is? Your Match Your Decision Your Reputation

Our Hint

Many outcomes depending on your decisions. Is this on or off the field? Where was the keeper before, on or off the field? Is advantage possible on an offside, if its not his fault he is involved?

Our Answer...

To be fair, there are multiple ...IF... considerations in this scenario. If you consider the actions of the attacker, the keeper and the ball as separate concepts it might help flesh out the salient points!

The term "forcibly" will undoubtedly create reckless, or minimum careless, possible VC in the minds of some. But I also wonder if those answering are thinking the fact the irate keeper almost was cleaned out with no foul and the referee cuts him some slack in the pushing out of the way as helping him leave his area, rather than a foul or misconduct?

Now if we grant the advantage to the attacker, who is now in an offside position! Due to the keeper, ahem, assisting him back onto the field, when his team mate last touched the ball, the attacker was stumbling, as the ball deflects into the goal off his arm. Given it was stated as accidently, a referee should not be overly concerned the ball happened to hit the arm to score. The important distinction is as a PIOP, he is involved in play! However, he was NOT trying to be involved, it was the opposing keeper who created the stumbling into the ball by the pushing action. Can we discount the fact as a PIOP he participated albeit unwillingly and award the goal?

We think not!

IF in the opinion of the referee there was no foul or misconduct by the keeper you deny the goal the restart is an INDFK out for offside .

IF you do consider the keeper 's action as a foul or as misconduct then the concept of advantage will also be in play because a whistle does not have to sound immediately. Now here is a tricky aspect, no foul was awarded against the attacker, who winds up deep inside the netted area off the field of play.

The question is WHERE was the keeper? Was the keeper already off the FOP when or after he jumped out of the way through natural momentum? Did the keeper exit the FOP solely to accost the attacker? Or had the attacker upon returning to the FOP was pushed/held by the keeper while inside the FOP?

These are important concepts as the restart is different for all three!

IF the actions occur OFF The field of play due to natural causes it is a drop ball at the ball location when the misconduct occurred subject to the special considerations within the goal area . Cards shown appropriate to what you see! USB or if VC red thus a send off

IF the keeper LEFT the FOP to engage the attacker then it is an INDFK from the ball location when the keeper left the FOP,subject to the special considerations within the goal area. He is shown a yellow card for exiting without the referees permission, possible other cards for the pushing misconduct itself USB or if VC red thus a send off

IF the keeper was pushing the attacker inside the FOP it is a PK. Cards shown appropriate to what force you think was applied possible USB, SFP not DOGSO thus red card and send off.

In all cases the goal is denied because the scorer was already in a restricted offside position.

That was our Question YOUR Answer is...

Matt a Referee from Bristow VA USA

If we pick up the action after the initial 'slide' and the decision by the referee that there was no foul, the next event is a forcible push by the keeper against the attacker.

The referee's first decision is how to categorize this push. Although it is not stated directly, it appears that this contact happens off the field of play. Since the players were not challenging for the ball, per the advice to referees, this would be a potential instance of VC and not SFP.

If the push is deemed VC, the second decision is whether or not the given situation meets the criteria for a "clear subsequent opportunity to score a goal." If yes, then advantage should be applied and the next decision is whether or not the attacker should be penalized for offside or handling. Since handling is a DFK vs an IFK for offside, the former would take precedence The phrasing of the question seems to indicate that the 'handling' was unintentional, however, the player does touch a ball that was last touched by his teammate and therefore would be guilty of offside. This would render the advantage lost and the whistle should be blown for the original offense. If there is no "clear opportunity" on goal, the whistle should be blown immediately for the offense. So if there is violent conduct in this situation, the keeper is sent off, and play restarted with a drop ball at the point where it was when play was stopped for an offense committed off the field of play per advice to referees on Law 12.

If the initial decision is that the severity of the push did not warrant violent conduct, advantage should be applied and the play stopped and restarted as above with a drop-ball, with exception of the misconduct. The use of the wording "forcibly" would indicate to me at least a reckless action in committing the foul and at a minimum, a yellow card should be issued.

Since the end result is unlikely to be a popular one - the DB vs PK/DFK, it raises two important points for mechanics. The referee in this case must know the rules so that this decision can be made quickly and the whistle potentially blown before the ball enters the goal. Doing so may go a long way to selling the call to the attacking team. Also, why I am not generally in favor of a referee 'explaining' his call; this may be one case in which it is warranted. I would blow the whistle and calmly and clearly state that "The original offense was the keeper pushing the attacker and occurred off the field of play. By laws of the game, play is restarted with a drop ball at the location of the ball when play was stopped."

Alain Delisle a Referee from Brentwood Bay BC Canada

No goal. Green player is offside. Intervention with play. Indirect free kick. No foul.

Sahid Mohamad a Referee from Chicago IL USA

Indirect free kick in favor of the green team from where the ball was when the goalie left the field of play to commit unsporting behavior against his opponent by pushing him.

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