Question Number: 12520

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 4/9/2006

RE: Premier Under 13

T. Landeck of Wilbraham, MA USA asks...

If the goalie catches the ball within the goal (the ball has crossed the line), but punts it back into play before the ref blows the whistle, can the ref still call it a goal after play has resumed (several other players have already touched the ball)?
Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Once all of the ball has crossed all of the line between the posts and under the crossbar, and the referee sees it or the AR, it's a goal. The keeper can do anything he wants but that will not restart play. Play stopped when the goal was scored and the keeper cannot restart play, only the referee can.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball crosses the whole of the goal line under the cross bar and between the goal posts, provided the Laws of the Game have not been infringed by the team scoring the goal.. If a referee or assistant referee sees the ball across the goal line a goal is scored. If neither sees this there is no goal. Simple.

Goalkeepers do what they can, but they can not influence what happens under the Laws of the Game..

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Absolutely. Until the referee blows the whistle, "play continues" (other than if it is known to leave the field of play, of course.) In the scenario you describe, the referee did not immediately make the connection that the ball did indeed leave the field of play. (Hopefully the AR is doing their job and standing at the goal line, flag straight up, waiting patiently for hell to freeze over to alert the referee that there is a problem). Just because the GK is probably trying to pull a fast one by punting it out as if nothing happened, doesn't mean that the referee can't stop that "continuation of play" to bring attention to the fact that the ball left the field of play -- in this case, for a goal scored -- and restart appropriately.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

As my colleagues have adaptly identified a delayed decision is still the correct one.
Whether the referee mulled it over and eventually got it right it makes for a tougher sell of the facts!

IF the neutral AR determines the ball did in fact completely cross the line he is obligated to get this info ASAP to the referee.

The referee could be unsure and missed the AR signal.

However once the AR relays the information even in an untidy fashion IF the referee accepts the input as fact then the goal is awarded. The significant difference here is although the play continued it was NEVER stopped and then restarted. If that happened then the Ar information or delayed referee decision is not possible to award the goal!
Cheers