Question Number: 4146

Erez Liron of Haifa, Israel asks...

Hello.I have a question about penalty kicks:.A team mate of a player taking a penalty kick enters the penalty area before the ball is in play. When the penalty kick is taken, the goal keeper touch the ball, but not catch it. Then the player who kicked the penalty run to the "back from goalkeeper" ball, and scores a goal. What should I whistle for?.And What should I whistle for, if the player that enters the penalty area before the ball is in play will get to the "back from goalkeeper" ball and score a goal?.thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Erez, in this case the ball is in play and all players, save the gent who encroached into the penalty area before the kick, have a chance for the ball. Should the gent who cheated win the ball, blow for indirect free kick to his opponents. The pertinent paragraph of Laws of the Game dated July 2002 is quoted:..A team-mate of the player taking the kick.enters the penalty area or moves in front of.or within 9.15 m (10 yds) of the penalty.mark:._ the referee allows the kick to proceed._ if the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken._ if the ball does not enter the goal, the kick is.not retaken._ if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper, the.crossbar or the goal post and is touched by this.player, the referee stops play and restarts the.match with an indirect free kick to the.defending team..Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The chart in Advice to referees under Infringements of Law 14 shows that if a teammate of the kicker infringes BEFORE the kick is taken and the ball rebounds into play from goal/goalkeeper: "play continues, if rebound to infringing attacker, stop play,IFK to defending team."..In your first scenario, the ball rebounds into play from the keeper so play continues. The kicker is free to kick the ball again as it has touched another player, i.e. the keeper, so he may kick it which he does so the goal is allowed, as per LOTG and Advice. Had the ball rebounded from the goal he could not have kicked it..Second scenario is likewise clear. It rebounds from the keeper into play so play continues. However, this time it rebounds to the infringing attacker so an IFK is awarded to the keeper's team as per LOTG and Advice.

Answer provided by Referee Stacy Kalstrom

I must agree with Fleischer and Contarino. Goal in the first situation, restart with a kick-off. Second situation, when the encroaching player touches the ball, the referee blows the whistle to stop play, and the restart is an IFK for the defense...Thanks for your question. It was challenging for the group.