Question Number: 24764

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 4/3/2011

RE: League Professional

Allan shamuyarira of Harare, Harare Zimbabwe asks...

Can a goal be awarded if a defending player clears the ball from the goal line but does not cross the line

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Allan
Most definitely not. All of the ball must cross all of the goal line for a goal to be awarded.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No Coach, at least not properly. Law 10, The Method Of Scoring tells us:

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between
the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the
Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the
goal.

So, unless these provisions have been met, a goal has not been legally scored. If the referee awards a goal and is not certain all of the ball has crossed over all of the goal line in accordance with Law 10, he or she has made a very severe error. A goal should never be awarded unless the referee is certain it has been legally scored.

Thanks for the question!

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

My colleagues note the requirements for a goal to be scored - the ball entirely across the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar. But we have seen referees make mistakes in judgement as to whether or not the ball is across the line. There was a notable example in the past World Cup where the referee did not correctly see the ball across the line. I'm sure it's happened in Zimbabwe as well.

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

See Question: 24794