Question Number: 15882

Law 14 - Penalty kick 6/25/2007

RE: Competitve Adult

Andre Pacheco of Cambridge, Ontario Canada asks...

We had a penalty shot called for us, during regulation time. When the shot was take, it hit the post and came back out to the player who took it, he then scored on the rebound however the ref called it offside. How is this correct it makes no sense to me?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Andre,
well you can count me in that group where it makes no sense because that is what the call was nonsense. Well sort of, the restart remains the same as an INDFK out! Did the referee actually say offside or simply raise his arm indicating an INDFK?
The CORRECT call is a second touch violation of law 14 where the pk kicker can not touch or play the ball until it touches another player.
So if the referee said offside he is mistaken even if an iNDFK out for a second touch is still the same result!
AT least he correctly denied the goal!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The referee was accidently correct on the restart, but it was for a 2nd touch NOT offside.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Did the ref say, "Offside"? Or did he blow his whistle with his hand raised in the air? That is the signal for an indirect free kick. We may see it most often on offside calls, but it is generic for any IFK for any reason.

As my colleagues have noted, the offense was touching the ball a second time, before any other player had touched it. Even though it may sometimes be the keeper's best friend, the goalpost is not a player.

Answer provided by Referee Jon Sommer

I doubt very much that the referee called offside. I think he blew his whistle and raised his hand above his head which you would associate with offside. It is infact the signal for an Indriect freekick.This was given because the PK taker touched the ball a second time from a restart before anyone else had.