Question Number: 24941

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 5/14/2011

RE: Under 14

Filippo of Palermo, Italy asks...

Laws of the Game state that:
'INFRINGEMENTS and sanctions
[...]
If a player changes places with the goalkeeper without the referees permission
before the change is made:
? the referee allows play to continue
? the referee cautions the players concerned when the ball is next out of play'

So, such an action is obviously an infringement.
Furthermore, Law 10 states that:
'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, according to the Laws of the Game, if an infringement is committed by the team which scored a goal, the goal has to be disallowed.
Then, what if we consider this situation?

A goalkeeper and a teammate of his change places while ball is still in play, and without the referee's permission. The referee sees them, but he cannot stop play, and has to caution them when the ball is next out of play.
But, before play stops, the goalkeeper's team scores a goal. Now, the referee cautions the players.

1) Has the goal to be disallowed according to Law 10, since it was committed an infringiment by the team which scored the goal?
2) If the goal has to be disallowed, how will play restart?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Filippo
The former Q&As in 2006 had a question and I quote
""3.10.1 A player changes his position with the goalkeeper without informing the referee, when he notices it, what action does the referee take?
3. 10.2. The new goalkeeper then touches the ball with his hand in his own penalty area. What action does the referee take?
In both cases he allows play to continue and cautions both players for unsporting behaviour when the ball next goes out of play"".
So the correct answer in your scenario is to award the goal, caution both players and restart with a kick off.
It is not the intention of the Laws to punish the change of goalkeeper as an on field infringement punishable with a free kick. It is a caution only when the ball has gone out of play.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

This portion of Law 10 is one of the poorly edited sections of the Laws. Taken literally, it says that once a team commits a foul, they couldn't score for the rest of the game! What this provision in Law 10 really means is that if a team commits an infraction that affects the course of play leading to a goal, that goal is not allowed.

Two players changing position at goalkeeper at one end of the field does not affect the play scoring a goal at the other end of the field. The goal is allowed, and then because that is the next stoppage, the players who switched position illegally are both cautioned.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

There is a difference between a substitute running onto the field and trying to become the keeper and a field player exchanging places with the keeper improperly.

With a substitute, the goal should be disallowed. A substitute cannot become the keeper by running onto the field improperly. The referee also has the option to stop play immediately and deal with the substitute well before the substitute's team can score.

With a field player, the goal should be allowed. The person wearing the jersey is the proper goal keeper even if the exchange was done improperly. The referee will deal with the two players at the next stoppage in play.