Question Number: 29441

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/25/2015

RE: Rec Adult

John of Bangor, ME USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 2985

Was coaching a game and a through ball was played in by team red. Team blue's keeper comes out to meet the ball and attempting to smother the ball with 2 hands. As he gets hands to the ball, team red's attacker bowls the goalie over and scores. Referee says it was a good goal.

Referee's interpretation was 'It was a 50/50 ball, physicality happens in soccer and the striker was within his rights to challenge for the ball.' Was his interpretation right or reasonable? Cheers!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Impossible to say based on your description. I'm not sure what bowls him over means. What I can say is that players can challenge for the ball as long as they do not commit any one of the penal fouls including tackling in a careless or reckless manner. Goalkeepers can use their hands in challenging for the ball and have the same restrictions as an outfield player.
If the referee felt that the contact between the goalkeeper and the attacker was simply a coming together on a 50 /50 ball then that can and does happen with no foul called. If the goalkeeper has control of the ball then the opponent may not challenge for the ball
Here is a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27rMJOqcPWY
Is there a foul on the goalkeeper? Does not look like there is to me as any contact looks like a coming together rather than say pushing, holding , charging etc
Depending on a particular viewpoint the viewer can see all sorts including no foul, a foul on the goalkeeper etc

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi John,
it is difficult to offer a subjective opinion without actually seeing the event. The referee made a match decision thus his reputation is on the line.
We are loath to criticise an event we cannot review.

If I try to paint the mental picture from just your description you seem to give the nod to the keeper arriving first, getting his hands on the ball with the incoming striker then running through him to put the ball into the goal.

A referee with integrity sees what he sees and decides on a course of action based on their current level of understanding the LOTG.
My main concern is your phrase, the striker bowled the keeper over, admittedly it has me leaning towards something in this equation is uncertain.

The striker's job is to score and he will pursue that ball vigorously coming in from one direction! The keeper arriving from another direction, inside his PA often throws themselves into the feet of oncoming players using their handling option to prevent the shot. I have great respect for the courage of keepers because they are indeed vulnerable when outstretched at the feet to be kicked or even up high to be charged. It is not that a keeper cannot be guilty of foul play or even SFP by his own charging or knee into back jumping actions.

50/50 is a term I apply to a challenge where two opponents arrive at the same time with equal opportunity to play the ball. I then look to see if either are focused on the other player or the ball? In collisions with the keeper on a ball that I see the hands being used and entrapping the ball an opponent charging to get ball possession will not win many decisions from me. The LOTG do not say if any of the outfield opponents are challenging for the or has ball possession the other must desist from trying to get to the ball but look at what it does say about the KEEPER inside his own Penalty Area

An opponent is NOT permitted to challenge for the ball once a goalkeeper has gained ...possession... of the ball with his hands!

When the referee evaluates possession if he is considering if the keeper is in control of the ball by observing that the ball is pinned in-between a hand against the ground or against his body or between both hands. While the goalkeeper maybe considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hands or arms if that ball rebounds or visibly separates even slightly away from him, even after he has initiated contact technically that ball is free to be played by the opponent as it is a rebound.

Still the LOTG recognizing that even if a ball is in open play if an opponent uses careless, reckless or excessive force against an opponent when challenging for the ball when it is in play there are consequences because tackles that do not take into consideration the safety of an opponent can be sanctioned on all levels, from a simple foul to a caution to a red card and dismissal for a brutal challenge

The referee set a bar/standard with his decision not to see this incident as a foul but award a good goal. I ask you how was it accepted? Even if one was to agree to disagree or accept the decision /explanation as reasonable the idea it was right or a correct means little to those who are equally convinced it was not! Tensions or aggressive instincts can escalate if one team thinks their keeper got cleaned out so they might look for payback!

Cheers