Question Number: 16238

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/6/2007

Michael Latourneau of hull, canada asks...

to what extent can a player "screen" a goalie?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If in an offside position, to no extent. Otherwise you cannot touch, follow around, impede or anything else that prevents the keeper from moving unless you are in a position on the field and you are motionless, if that's the case then he must avoid you.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

One often sees this tactic by attackers at a corner kick, and too many referees are busy watching the ball and the taker of the corner kick instead of the players in front of the goal mouth, so they miss it (which is why the attackers keep using it, I guess?). If a player happens to run in front of a keeper with perfect accidental timing such that the keeper cannot see from whence a ball is kicked, I might let that go, if it was all in the run of play, but if I felt the player was engaging in any of the shenanigans listed by Referee Fleischer above, I'd locate my whistle and apply force.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The only time I allow players to be moving about in front of the goalkeeper is when they are legitimately making and attempt to play the ball. Often, there is no attempt to play the ball and the act of screening is done to block the GK's view or to prevent their movement to cut the angle down or keep them from getting to a place where they will have a better opportunity to save a shot from going into the goal. If any of these actions are done while not making a fair attempt to play the ball, then they should be penalized.