Question Number: 18009

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/27/2007

RE: Competitive Under 14

Jay of Santa Cruz, CA US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17960

If attacker and keeper are going for a loose ball on the ground and the keeper gets his hand on top of it just before it is kicked by the attacker what is the correct call? Assuming the contact with the ball was inevitable due to the momemtum of the attacker's foot while he was attempting to play a loose ball. It seems to me it should be no goal. (but lots of yelling from the sidelines) The attacker will claim it was a fair play for the ball so there should be no foul.

Thanks,

Jay

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

If the keeper has a hand pinning the ball against the ground. Without having seen this play myself, based on your description, I feel the goal should not be given and an indirect free kick should be awarded to the goalkeeper's team. The opponent had prevented the keeper from releasing the ball into play, an indirect free kick offense.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'm assuming the keeper has stretched out his hand and pinned the ball to the ground. This constitutes control. The ball is in the keeper's possession and he may not be challenged. The goal should be waved off and an IFK awarded to the keeper's team unless the referee believes the opponent was guilty of kicking or attempting to kick the keeper in which case a DFK would be awarded.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The FIFA training materials (provided by a mentor) say the keeper is considered to be in control of the ball by trapping it between his hands or between his hand and any surface (e.g., goal post, ground, own body) or by holding the ball in his outstretched open hand, as well as when he is bouncing it on the ground or throwing it up into the air. The same info, in less detail, is in Decision 2 under Fouls and Misconduct - Law 12. There was a time when the goalkeeper could be charged while in possession of the ball, but that resulted in some rather unfair practices, so it came to be that a GK in possession/control could not be challenged for the ball. This is especially important for referees to understand in the youth game and with less skilled players. Your call was correct and well reasoned, based on what you told us. Yes, the attacker will claim it was a fair play for the ball, but one has to wonder if he would feel the same way if it was his keeper who had the living daylights kicked out of him by an attacker "who had a fair chance at the ball"? Learning to watch and see when the GK has control and when she doesn't takes lots of practice and experience. Better to call it too close than too loose until one can feel the difference. Good job!

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Jay you can think of the keeper's hand "pinning" the ball to the ground, his leg, the goal post or anything else as him touching base just like a game of tag. Once he has the ball "pinned" to anything International FA Board decision 2 of Law 12 tells the referee he is in control of the ball. From there he can let it lay in the palm of his hand, throw it into the air, bounce it or just stand there and hold it for six seconds. After that he must release it into play. What you saw was the goalkeeper gaining control an instant before someone thought he played the ball there for the taking. Whistle and free kick to the keeper. Indirect or direct depending on your feelings about what happened.

Regards,

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 18112