Question Number: 14922

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/1/2007

RE: Competitive Other

Les Sicherman of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada asks...

I am am a senior referee in our city. During a provincial indoor rec tournament the goal keeper and a forward both challenged for a high ball with the forward getting to the ball slightly before the keeper and managing to head the ball imto the net. The progress of the forward however resulted in bulling over the goal keeper. I disallowed the goal.
Was I right in assuming that the action of a foul is not negated when it occurs after legal contact with the ball?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Have to see the action before offering opinion either way. BUT, I can say this: Would this have been accepted play at midfield between two outfield players?

If the answer is yes or no, you have answered your own question. Further in any case of foul play that stops things instantly so the ball must have left the field of play BEFORE the collision happened to count as a goal. You seem to say it did. If what you say is correct then the ball leaving the park under the crossbar and between the posts STOPS play. The three criteria for foul play are: ball in play, on the park and against an opponent -- one is missing, correct?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If a goal has been scored, there can be no foul. There can, however, be misconduct

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

As in any event unseen we tend to be reluctant to say yes or no we give more of a what if kind of response.
In direct response to your question"Was I right in assuming that the action of a foul is not negated when it occurs after legal contact with the ball? I have some reservations as to the word legal as contact with the ball does not undo further misconduct or a continued foul

If the act of playing a ball is LEGAL and the ball enters the goal then a foul occurs , it in fact did not, what occured was misconduct as the goal stops play once the ball does the cross the goalline, under the crossbar, between the posts. If that misconduct warrants a caution or a send off that would be in the opinion of the referee witnessing the incident.

I do not know if you watched Terry get his head kicked in at the recent Chelsea /Arsenal match but despite the intense contact no foul was awarded because the collision was in the opinion of the referee accidental as equal opportunity to play that ball was present for both players who MAY have been unaware of the other.

While I personally would call it a foul and awarded a PK in your case as referee you must decide was the keeper prevented from making a save because of the collision?
Was that collision unavoidable?
Did or was there any evidence of malice or extra body into the hit? Was there a pull out in progress in trying to cushion or withold the power of the contact??

If you thought the player charged the keeper you could justify the whistle but it best happen before that ball crossed into touch over the goalline. As it is always a tough sell to dig a goal out of the nets. That said if you decided to stop play and the ball entered the goal before you blew the whistle that goal can be disallowed by stating the foul occured before the goal not after, it was just too quick to whistle before the ball crossed the goal line!

Soccer has contact and on equal opportunity balls not every player can switch direction mid flight. As referee you decided the foul occurs because it was not a legal play on the ball but a disguised attempt to run over an opponent or you see the effort made was a legit attempt to score a goal and the accident was the fault more of the keeper being in the way then the opponent running him down. Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 14935