Question Number: 23855

Law 7 - Match Duration 8/30/2010

RE: Under 16

Thami of Witbank, Mpumalanga South Africa asks...

Can the referee end the match should a goal be scored on the last second of the match without allowing the scored on team to take the ball to the center of the pitch?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Thami
The game is over when the referee says so and the ball does not have to be play for the game to be ended so yes the referee can end the match without allowing the team to take the ball to the center of the pitch for a restart. Even if he did the referee will still end the game immediately.
Having said all that many referees allow the restart on the basis that it brings order to the position of the players and a restart can diffuse some confrontational situations. It also, in some situations, can do away with the unfair suggestion that the referee could have as easily ended the game before the goal. So it is usual for the game to be restarted and then ended a few seconds later yet it is not required in Law.
I personally would not end a game on a goal and I have never seen a goal scored so quickly after an end of game restart where I have allowed the game to restart for a number of seconds. I have seen team score in the last minute of added time play to be berated by the conceding team for allowing x minutes of added time.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Absolutely. If time runs out just as the ball crosses the goal line or immediately thereafter, there is not enough time to restart the game at center. Now some refs will allow a kickoff and stop play a short time later, just so the scored-upon team can't claim that the ref extended time only for the goal. Since the referee keeps the official time, only she knows exactly when time has expired. Plus, time is to be added to compensate for time lost to non-normal game events. This does not include the scoring of a goal, but could include the celebration after the scoring of a goal.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Yes. It is a myth that the ball must be in play at the final whistle.

Because referees have the power to add time, it is common for the referee to add time and stop play after the kickoff. But, it is not required.