Question Number: 18924

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 4/29/2008

RE: Rec Under 12

Jim Bussell of Great Mills, MD USA asks...

A players has a breakaway w/only the opposing team's goalie between him and the goal. He shoots, the ball hits the post and he taps it into the net. The ball does not touch the goalie. Does the goal count, or is the rule the same as for penalty kicks?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If you look at this skewed enough, you realize that the rule is the same. But that's because the situations are totally different.

The reason a ball rebounding from the goal back to the penalty kick taker cannot be played is because the PK is a restart. A player who puts the ball into play at any restart (*) cannot touch the ball twice in succession.

That restriction doesn't apply to dynamic play - else dribbing would be prohibited among other things. Therefore the rebound from a shot on goal which is not a restart can be played by the same player.

(*) - What about a dropped ball, you may ask? No problem, the rule still applies. At a dropped ball it isn't the player putting the ball back into play, but rather the referee dropping it to the ground.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Coach: a penalty kick is a restart. At ANY restart in which the player puts the ball into play, the ball must touch another player before the initial player may touch the ball again. What you describe is active play so the kicker may shoot at the goal as many times as he can without any other player touching the ball.