Question Number: 30436

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 5/20/2016

RE: Rec Adult

David Knight of Singapore, Singapore Singapore asks...

An indirect free kick is awarded outside the penalty area. The person taking the free kick strikes the ball at the goal and the shot is on target. However, the shot strikes a defender and goes in. Who is credited with being the goal scorer? The player taking the free kick or the defender, as the player taking the indirect free kick cannot score directly?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
It is only relevant in fantasy football, betting, statistics etc. The player could argue that he intended for some contact to happen making the goal legitimate so I would credit the goal to the kicker. It would be unfair to credit it as an own goal as the defender might not have known that the goal could not have been scored. If the ball was going wide it would be an OG

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi David,
This isn't a Laws of the Game issue, but I know often the referee does note down the goalscorers. There are no real guidelines on this - some referees will judge it an own goal if the deflection was the only reason it went in (ie if it was going to miss, or if it would have been saved).

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

In most games I reffed, the score sheet required the ref to credit the goal to one of the players. So I gave it to whichever attacker touched the ball last. One time it was the goalkeeper when the ball pinballed off opponents following a goal kick.