Question Number: 2680

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct

RE: IWSL Travel Div. A/B Under 11

Greg Bowman of Elmhurst, Illinois USA asks...

A player on the opposing team crosses a ball in front of the goal. The goalie comes out to make the play and a player from the opposing team and the goalie arrive at the ball at the same time. The opposing player swings with her leg and misses the ball, the goalie tips the ball and the opposing player crashes into the goalie knocking the goalie on her back, landing on top of her. Another player from the opposing team kicks the rebounded ball from the collision into the goal. Referee called it a goal as he interpreted the collision to be incidental contact due to aggressive play. Is it a goal or does the goalie deserve some protection?

Answer provided by Referee haselden

See Question 2663. Is this the same incident?

Answer provided by Referee Dawson 11/10/2001

Hi Greg ,.I believe this is the same play as described in Q&A 2663..The goalie indeed deserves protection as do all the players. No one can deliberatly run another over. Yet the keeper has no more right to the ball to stop it than an attacker has wanting to score. As in most cases to comment about what we would do we would have to actually see it. Arm chair refereeing is at best supposition. ITOOTR he sees what he sees and calls them accordingly. I tend to think at the youth level we slightly favour the keeper in the close decisions as they are indeed vunerable. But not all contact is foul. Cheers