Question Number: 15698

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/4/2007

RE: Select Under 11

Jim C of New York, NY USA asks...

My son, a goalie, stopped a shot, which slipped off his hands to the right far side of the goalie box. He chased after it and an opposing player beat him to the ball, and placed his back to the goal, between the goal and the goalie, on the one hand, and the ball, on the other, in order to protect the ball. The goalie tried to go around and jump on the ball and placed both hands on the back of his opponent in doing so. Is this a red card or a yellow card? i thought that, since the opposing player was neither shooting, facing the goal nor moving towards it, that a red card and ejection(which is what happened) was appropriate.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Let me understand. A soccer parent is saying he felt his son SHOULD receive a send-off and red card? This may be a first on our site!! I don't really know how to answer as I don't know why the keeper was sent off. A player is sent off if, in the opinion of the referee, he commits a push with excessive force. I can't understand how a referee could send your son off for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity since the opponent has his back to the keeper and the ball is actually being directed AWAY from the net. In order for there to be a send off for DOGSO, the opponent should be moving towards the goal and there would be only the player doing the fouling between the ball and the net. What you describe does not seem to meet any requirement for a send-off but I wasn't there.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

This is a case of You Had To Be There. From the way you describe it, it doesn't sound like a case of Denying an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO) because of the direction of play. The goalkeeper's foul might be a send-off for serious foul play, as he was jumping at his opponent and placed both hands on the opponent's back, if the referee felt the push was done with excessive force.

In any event, the referee at that game decided it was an offense worthy of a send-off, and that is the only opinion that matters.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

This cannot be DOGSO as the D's are not present. The direction of the attacker to the goal is not clear enough. It could be a caution for unsporting on the keeper depending upon the nature of the offense.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I really can't even picture the play as you describe it.

Are you asking about denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity situation, or just a simple foul or.... what?