Question Number: 17594

Law 14 - Penalty kick 10/30/2007

RE: Competive High School

Mitch W. of Lansing, MI USA asks...

On a penalty kick, the goalkeeper stops the shot, the ball rebounds off the keeper's hands and the kicker shoots it into the net. However, a defender infringed Rule 14 by entering the penalty area after the referee's signal and before the penalty kick was taken. Does the advantage rule apply here--i.e., does the goal count, or must the penalty kick be retaken?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The proper technical answer comes from Law 14, If a teammate of the keeper's team infringes the Laws Of The Game before the penalty kick is taken, the referee allows the kick to be taken and if the ball does not enter the goal, the kick is retaken. That said, since I'm the center referee and I'm watching for any infringement, I either blow my whistle immediately when the keeper saves the shot or I keep my whistle in my hand and ignore the infringement which in no way altered the outcome anyway.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Mitch,
in my opinion the goal is a far greater asset in justice than the trivial encroachment . As long as the whistle had not sounded before the goal we kick off and perhaps warn the defender not to be so eager the next time. While the PK law 14 states if this occurs we do that, justice was served was it not?

It is felt by many that advantage as per law 5 only applies to the fouls mentioned in law 12. In my opinion a delayed whistle in this incident is more with the effect of the encroachment as trivial to the outcome.

Watch most any PK at the elite level often players from both teams are a bit on the march in pks missed or made with no retake or cancellation. Is it correct? In absolute law no not really, the bar on encroachment is one many of us let slide . I admittedly will allow a stride in as the ball is kicked but if I see a full body both feet this sideon the inside my feeling is it is impossible to be there if the ball is not already kicked. Thus if the ball remains on the pk spot we are in violation and depending on who the result will be altered if need be.

Justice must be even handed even to the team that created the restart so a referee who bends the laws best be very careful of the message he sends and the legacy he leaves for the next referee. Trivial to who and doubtful in what?
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

As my colleagues have stated, the referee should technically stop the match and restart with a PK for the infringement by the defender. The referee could, however, simply ignore the infraction and award the goal here and probably no one would notice. This would be a good use of common sense and understanding the spirit of the game. We have "Book" refereeing and then flexible refereeing. The flexible referee would probably allow the goal.