Question Number: 18680

Law 13 - Free Kicks 4/3/2008

RE: Competitive Under 19

John Eckart of Norton, MA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 18664

I have seen nearly this exact scenario in a game. I was the AR and the CR saw encroachment on a free kick from about 25 yds out and immediately blew the whistle. The kicker followed thru with the kick anyway (within a split second of the whistle) and the ball went in the goal. CR waived off the goal and the attacking team's coach went ballistic. The CR apolgised to the coach but still disallowed the goal. I don't think that he had any choice but to disallow the goal because of the whistle. Your thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The referee couldn't have allowed the goal. The whistle had sounded and there is nothing to be done, except caution the defender who failed to respect the 10 yards distance.

The ref could remind the angry team that perhaps had the whistle not been sounded that the goalkeeper may have saved it, but as the whistle blew he would not make an attempt to save it. The apology was a nice touch, however.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The referee blew the whistle. Play had stopped at that moment which was before the ball went into the net. The goal cannot be allowed. the referee must caution the opponent and restart with the free kick. His whistle may have hampered the keeper. Who knows?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Lessons to be learned - 1)let kicks proceed if at all possible, and if they are not correctly taken (encroachment), retake them; 2) don't be too quick to sound the whistle - more is lost through too quick a whistle than one that is too slow. By way of explanation, if the kick is taken and scores, go and talk to the encroacher briefly and let him know he slipped by without a caution once with the encroachment, but the goal was penalty enough. If the kick does not score, blow the whistle and call it back for a retake, and caution the defender by way of explanation for the retake.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

There are those who will tell you time is up when it is up just as some will say situational awareness and the fact that time is relative and rarely to the micro second we need to be watching play not watching the watch. Soccer is not like basketball where a last second lob from centre once in the air is permitted to count if it does enter the basket.

The fact is once the whistle sounds the referee has announced to all we have effectively stopped/discontinued play and the fact the ball continues its journey into the goal and under the crossbar between the posts means nothing no goal can be awarded.

If the referee can fathom it as advantageous for the free kick to go ahead and await a positive result where a goal is scored then he is a master of reading the possibilities of what might occur.
If the kick taken produces no discernable advantage that leads to a goal then again he is a master of reading the possibilities of what might occur. Because now he can retake the kick after cautioning the offending interloper.

With holding a too quick whistle is the mark of a referee who has been at it for awhile and realizes that for possibilities to happen they need time to be developed. MISCONDUCT if noticed does not get forgiven UNLESS the referee allows play to restart after witnessing it. On a free kick that scores since the restart of play occurs after the failure to respect the distance, unless we retake the free kick the misconduct is not punished. The goal is worth more although a word of warning to the transgressor is still in order.
Cheers