Question Number: 17751

Law 14 - Penalty kick 11/7/2007

RE: Level 3 Adult

Edgar Hulatt of Calgary, ALberta Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17702

Following up to question 17702: I was watching a boys soccer game while on holiday and a penalty was awarded just prior to full time. Time was extended to take the kick and the young referee correctly advised everyone that the whistle would go as soon as the kick was completed. The goalkeeper dived to save the ball and parried it onto the post. The ball came back and hit the keeper and then went in the net. The young referee ruled no goal as the keeper saved the ball but I am pretty sure it should have been a goal as the ball had not stopped moving.

Can you just clarify the correct call. As you can imagine this call generated a ton of discussion between players, coaches and spectators.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

All arguments should have stopped after someone read this, from Law 14 - The Penalty Kick:

When a penalty kick is taken during the normal course of play, or time has been extended at half-time or full time to allow a penalty kick to be taken or retaken, a goal is awarded if, before passing between the goalposts and under the crossbar:

the ball touches either or both of the goalposts and and/or the crossbar and/or the goalkeeper

Makes it fairly clear, at least I think it does. Young referees sometimes don't have sufficient basis in Law to arrive at correct decisions.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

First of all, the penalty kick is done when the referee says it is done. So if he said it was done when the keeper saved it, it is done. However, normally, the referee will wait until the ball stops bouncing around and then "end" the penalty kick, as per Ref Fleischer's comments on Law 14.