Question Number: 20934

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 3/5/2009

RE: High School Under 17

David of Highlands Ranch, CO USA asks...

If a 'striker' kicks a ball towards the opponents net and the ball hits a defender and goes in the net, Does the 'striker' get credit for a goal?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Was the ball heading into the goal anyway? did the defender redirect the ball so that it scored? As a referee I don't really care who gets credit but it's going to depend on League rules. Some Leagues automatically credit the goal to the last attacker that touched the ball. Others may call it an own goal if the defender altered the course of the ball so as to make it go into the net.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Maybe.

Most of the other pannelists here do not like to answer these sorts of questions, and for good reason, they have nothing to do with the laws of the game and they are not really in the realm of refereeing.

That said... If the ball simply deflects off the defender who was making a despiration move to keep the ball out, and if it would have gone into the goal anyway, then the striker is credited with the goal.

If on the other hand, the ball would not have gone into the goal but the defender changed the flight path of the ball so it would enter the goal, OR the defender who clearly could have kept the ball out of the net somehow manages to squander that by changing the direction of the ball so it would go in the goal, then NO. We would call these things an 'own goal.'

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If league procedures require me to record goals to individual players, I will give it to the last attacker that touched the ball. Otherwise, it's just one more for 'Blue'.