Question Number: 17267

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/12/2007

RE: Competitive Under 14

Aubrey Waddell of Maryville, TN USA asks...

In addition to being a referee, I am the assistant coach of our club's U13 boys team. In a recent tournament, our team's only female made a great move to get around the last defender and was about to take a shot at the goal from dead center of the goal and about 10 yards from the goal line. A trailing defender caught up to her and made an honest effort to charge her off the ball, but used a bit much force and sent her flying a few feet through the air. The referee was in excellent position just about 10 yards behind her and immediately whistled the foul. Problem is, she is quite the excellent athlete, and she landed on her feet, regained the ball, and shot it into the left corner of the goal while the astonished goalkeeper never left his line.
To my amazement, the referee signalled for a goal instead of for a PK. The opposing coach complained that the referee was bound to disallow the goal and award the PK since the referee clearly blew his whistle before she took the shot. While I was glad we got the goal (the game ended 1-1), I'm inclined to agree with the opposing coach. How do you see this?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

There are times when we refs really wish we had swallowed the whistle instead of blowing it, and it seems your referee here had that feeling, but tried to rectify his mistake by allowing the goal. Now the referee has opened the door for a protest of this game by the other coach, which should be upheld, because he misapplied the Laws. This is assuming, of course, that the whistle did actually blow before her shot went into the goal. If the whistle did blow before the ball went in the goal, the referee is left with his proverbial hat in his hand, and a penalty kick, to follow the apology for not allowing for advantage and blowing too quickly. I'll wager this has happened to this young lady before - refs get really protective in mixed gender games, often unfairly, but with the best, albeit misguided, intentions.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Yup, opposing coach was correct. This is yet another example of why we as referees are constantly being cautioned to NOT quickly blow the whistle when there is a foul and a shot on goal. Once the whistle is blown, play stops and a goal cannot be awarded. By the way, this is entirely protestable as the referee clearly made an error in Law.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Yes the opposing coach was correct the goal is not legal as the referee has stopped play. I will side with my colleagues and wish we were less quick on the whistle but if he failed to anticipate a possible advantage the resulting PK that was available could also have included a red card send off for DOGSO (it does sound as if the criteria were likely present from your description) Thus a the opposing team would be playing with 10 men for the rest of the match.
I have seen an elite match have the very same circumstances were a whistle was blowing just as the ball was deposited in the goal. In the EPL the goal was not allowed keeper sent off for DOGSO free kick awarded. The advantage could have been applied butt he referee failed to realize it!
In the NASL the goal was allowed, the DOGSO was dropped and restart kickoff. The advantage was applied but the referee failed to wait and see if the ball was still going to cross the goal line after the deliberate handling before he blew the whistle. Since the team got the goal was happy and the team who cheated to stop it was not going to be down a man and the whistle sounding as the ball was going over the goal line was ambiguous enough to be hazy. No protest, nothing the referee sold the call to the players but in the post game review, hoo boy he was grilled mercilessly.
Cheers