Question Number: 30676

Law 17 - Corner Kick 8/17/2016

RE: All Professional

karl kockler of exton, PA Chester asks...

I remember reading the rules back when I was a coach and being suprised that a corner kick can be awarded for some reason other than the defending team having last touch befor the ball going over the goal line (other than between the posts). I can not remember why. I think it had something to do with what appeared to be an own goal that was not awarded.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Karl
A team cannot score on ITSELF from any restart so if the ball enters the goal in such circumstances a corner kick is awarded.
The regular corner kick is where the ball is last touched by a defending player before it crosses the goal line and I am not aware of any other surprise reason in the past for a corner kick to be awarded other than the own goal.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Karl,
A team cannot score against themselves directly from a restart. So, say a player, just outside the PA, attempts to pass the ball back to the keeper. The keeper isn't paying attention or slips over in the mud and the ball goes straight into the goal without being touched by the keeper or any other player. This would be a corner kick. If, however, the keeper touches it, then it's a valid goal.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

While I agree with my esteemed colleagues, the result of a corner kick when a player kicks the ball directly into her own goal at a restart is a subset of the criteria for a corner kick:

- Ball last touched by the defending team - check
- Ball crossed the goal line - check
- Goal was not scored - check (because a team is not allowed to score against itself directly at a restart)

This is similar to the reasoning for a goal kick if a team 'scores' on an indirect kick. Law 13 specifies the resulting kick, but it's for the same reasoning.

The changes in Law 8 for a dropped ball not being scored directly (and clarified this year to mean without touching a second player) also follow the pattern, even though Law 8 states the resulting goal/corner kick without explanation.

Maybe one of these edge examples is what you were thinking about for a unique reason for a corner kick. But they're really not a new reason, just rarely seen.