Question Number: 16456

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/27/2007

RE: Under 11

Patrick Browes of Ipswich, England asks...

A goalkeeper leaves his penalty area and handles the ball to prevent an opponent from crossing the ball into the penalty area. Should the keeper be booked or sent off?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Possibly. You don't tell us what else is happening around the play.

To be sent off, the goalkeeper would have had to deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). Whether that happened depends on the direction of play, number of other defenders, distance from goal, and distance of the attacker to the ball.

It could also be unsporting behavior, a caution, if it was a blatant foul to disrupt the opponents' attack (but one or more elements of DOGSO above was not present).

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

If it denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity, then "yes". In this case though, it sounds as it probably is not because of the fact that you state it only prevented an opponent from crossing it into the penalty area. Therfor it was not a clear goal scoring opportunity.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This reads as if the keeper used his hands to deny attacking play by his opponents. This is unsporting behaviour and a caution.

Regards,