Question Number: 35183

Law 18 - Common Sense 10/25/2023

RE: High School

Mateo of New York, NY US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 35179

Thank you refs for the response. The circumstances were the scoring team had just registered its fifth goal to take a 5-0 lead and the goal was scored by the player least likely to score. Everyone was happy for him and ran off the field to celebrate him. The celebrations were not excessive nor did the ref warn the players they needed to return to the pitch. My thought was that there was some back and forth between the ref and some families and the decision was some form of retribution but I have no way of knowing that, but still thought it was curious as I’ve never seen it before and in soccer you always see everything again. Curiously the final score was registered as 4-1, the last goal erased for some reason. Doesn’t matter and doesn’t bother me. Just curious.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mateo
Thanks for the feedback
From the further explanation perhaps the fifth goal was ruled out for whatever reason which could be offside or an infraction. Having said that I cannot see how the restart could be a kick off if that was the case?
Had the goal been ruled out for whatever reason the restart should be a free kick from the location of the infraction and the *celebrating* team do not need to be in their own half for that restart.

I do not like this type of officiating as everyone should be on the same page so to speak. If the goal was ruled out then that should be clearly called.
If a referee does not like excessive celebrations then deal with it through card/s not some arbitrary decision to allow a kick off contrary to the rules.
I also firmly believe that *cheap* goals do nothing for the game. We need to respect the game and that includes all facets of it including the Rules / Laws.
There are times we don't like something yet we need to place the well-being, safety and enjoyment of everyone as the No 1 priority.

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

HI Mateo,
yes indeed we witness or participate in some strange decisions over the course of our lives. That said a bit weird in the sense to restart at midfield as if their opponents goal counted? If it was, as my colleague Ref McHugh noted, an offside or a foul that occurred prior to the goal meaning that the goal was not accepted, so the restart was NOT a kickoff but a free kick restart which does not require the opposition to be in their own half, it could be they players were still considered on the FOP while not paying attention to the referee decision? You say 5 -0 but then mention 4 -1 as if the last goal did not count but the one they scored did? I agree with my colleague, fun, safety and some clear communication are essential to create the right atmosphere of a good match where the kids are indeed, the priority. .

I recall coaching a house recreation team with my kids and one little dude with so very little athletic impulses but always played his heart out . Our team was dead set on getting him his first ever goal and fed him pass after pass in scoring positions, giving him every opportunity to score while holding off on their own chances. Many an opportunity going wide or stopped by the opposing keeper doing his level best to deny him his chance! He was wildly cheered at every opportunity and you could see he was trying so damn hard. The first half ends tied at 0 to 0

Finally 15 minutes in to the second he gets a rebound spilled into his feet all of a foot or 6 inches from the goal line right in the middle, he swings the leg foot dives under the ball and he SCOOPED it over TOP of the crossbar., we were stunned Several parents cried out HOW in the world??? and fell to their knees hands on their heads or over their mouths gasping at this impossible miss . After the game many of us tried to duplicate it lol

Well I yelled, "That's ok you are getting closer all the time keep pushing forward it will come." and sure enough a few minutes later, he buried the ball into the back of the old onion skin on a pretty decent top shelf effort and our entire team & fan base went bloody bonkers as did every team mate who pounded his wee back with congratulations. The referee had to coax us back into the FOP for excessive celebrations so they could take the kick off! lol . A little while later near the end we had a PK opportunity and I had the young lad step up to take it. Dang if he did not crush it to the corner for a 2nd goal! One of the best days I recall at that level. Milkshakes for all! lol
from our pitch to your pitch in the spirit of fair play