Question Number: 16601

Law 3 - Number of Players 9/8/2007

RE: Club Under 12

Frank of Yorba Linda, CA USA asks...

The Home team scores while they have 12 players on the field. The referee did not realize the extra player until several minutes after the goal when the Visiting team pointed it out. The extra player was removed, but not given a yellow card. Play continued with a throw in, but nothing else was done. This goal was the deciding goal in the game. What should the correct call have been?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

If the extra player was discovered before the game was restarted after the goal, then the goal doesn't count. The restart will depend on who the extra player was - but is generally an indirect free kick from the goal area. However, if the extra player is discovered after the ball has been put back into play, then the goal counts. The extra player should be cautioned unless through referee error, that person (as can happen in an unlimited substitution game) cannot be identified with certainty. This must be entered into the referee report, as it is a grave error, along with the circumstances surrounding the goal scored with too many players on the field. If the ball left the field over a touchline before the extra player situation was discovered, then a throw-in was the correct restart. Referees must be ever vigilant regarding substitutions and numbers of players on the field - especially before play restarts and right after goals are scored, and very especially during unlimited substitution games.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

THe correct decision is to caution and remove the extra player and restart as appropriate to the stoppage in play. Because play was restarted after the goal it can not be removed.

The main reason this happens is the referee is unfamiliar with the substitution procedure in Law 3 or he chooses to shortcut it by allowing a substitute to enter before the player he is replacing has left the field of play.

Regards,