Question Number: 16304

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/14/2007

RE: Under 15

Jake of sydney, nsw Australia asks...

If a goal keeper receives a red card. does a
substitute replace the keeper (team still plays with 11 men) or does a player from his side already on the field have to take his place (play with ten men)?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

There are a couple of ways to deal with such a catastrophic event: 1) your team now plays a man down (it's what happens no matter which player gets the red card), so: 2) convert a field player to goalkeeper or 3) pull a field player off and substitute in a reserve goalkeeper, assuming you have substitutes left to use. If the goalkeeper who was sent off was actually sitting as a substitute on the bench and got sent off for yelling obscenities at the referee (or striking an opponent or a teammate), then no, the team doesn't play down, but only in that instance.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

One twist in this is that in youth games with unlimited substitutions, there are rule modifications that limit when a substitution can occur. I've never yet seen one that said, "Or when the goalkeeper is sent off." As ref Maloney notes, the team will be playing one down. You may be forced into converting a field player to be the goalkeeper if it is not a substitution opportunity under your league's rule modifications. (Get your sub keeper from the bench ready to come in at the next substitution opportunity, and hope that nothing happens before then!)

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The red carded team will play a man down. A field player can play keeper or a field player can exit the field and then a substitute replaces the keeper.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Jake you're going to have to check with your local league for the answer to this one. It all depends on how Law 3 has been modified for their competition. Normally a sent-off keeper is the same as sending-off two players unless an outfield player is competent in goals. The reason I say sending-off two is because a keeper is required to be on the field by Law. If the only competent keeper is on the substitutes bench and substitutes remain an outfield player must leave to allow room for a substitute keeper to enter the match. In some youth leagues, notably America, a caution is a designated substitution opportunity, for that player only. A sending-off is not a designated opportunity! This just slipped by the rule changers when they modified Law 3.

Your best bet is check with the league in which you play to be sure.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The goalkeeper must leave the field and its vacinity. The team may now substitue a goalkeeper into the match, but that person must replace one of the 10 remaining players (that way the team remains with 10 players) - OR the keeper may be replaced by a field player without the need for a substitution.