Question Number: 20603

Kicks From The Penalty mark 11/28/2008

RE: Professional

Chris of Irvine, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 777

A championship game is still tied after the overtime periods and has gone into kicks from the penalty mark to determine the winner. While waiting for their turn to kick, two players from the same team are immediately sent off after the first kick is taken. Should the other team have to reducetheir number of players to account for the two that were sent off?

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

No.

This is very similar to a test question I answered this year. But FIFA has made is crystal clear that you do NOT reduce to equate after the first kick has been taken.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

NO but if they had two players due to shoot take ill I suppose we could consider that a coincidence?
Personally in my opinion the reduce to equate is another piece of law where FIFA fails to take into account certain issues of fairness.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No. Reduce to equate only occurs BEFORE the kicks phase starts.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Look at it this way - when the final whistle blows for full time and/or extra time, the number of players on the field at the whistle establishes the number of players who will be taking KFTPM. If there are players who are off the field temporarily to see to equipment or injury, they are included in the count.

Anything that happens after that final whistle does not enter into the reduce to equate factoring. If you finish the game with 10 and your opponents with 11, the KFTPM will have 10 from each team participating.

If, perchance, 2 red players from the above example (10 per side for KFTPM) are sent off after the final whistle, then the kicks will be taken with 8 on one team and 10 on the other. Does that help?

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 20655