Question Number: 35760

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/18/2024

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hello,

one more thing about the SPA please.

Advantage is not yet fulfilled (possibly it is a 'wait and see' phase).

S1: A10 is fouled by B5 (SPA, careless). A10 continues to move towards the goal. Moments later, he is fouled by player B33 (SPA, careless). So we have two SPAs in a short moment of time. Where is the restart? Which player will receive YC?

S2: A10 is fouled by B5 (SPA, careless). Teammate A15 passes the ball forward. The ball touches the referee and possession changes. What is the restart? Will the B5 receive YC?

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Petr,
well advantage is in of itself the "advantage" if a 2nd one appears, because the referee can choose the DFK opportunity at the most advantageous spot if indeed he is stopping play. Also there was no SPA caution attached to that 1st incident given it was a failure and if the 2nd incident creates an actual stoppage that is the SPA ! If both those careless attempts to stop a player fail, then that player realized advantage with either a goal or a great opportunity to score with no caution at all.

Imagine that #4 defender grabs #8 attacker and pull him back out side the PA, a clear holding foul but he pulls free, you are thinking advantage as he maintains his balance & dribbles forward another 6 or 7 yards, into the PA, where another defender #9 attempt to challenge but trips him causing him to stumble and fall. WE clearly award the PK because that is the restart most advantageous.

Imagine that #4 defender grabs #8 attacker and pull him back out side the PA, a clear holding foul but he pulls free, you are thinking advantage, as he fights to stay upright maintaining his balance & dribbles another yards 6 or 7 yds , he is fouled again, but again manages to right himself and tries to continue on another 6 or 7 yards but by now he is swarmed by defenders. Here he is outside the PA and depending on which DFK restart spot is better you can choose to stay with the initial foul claiming no advantage was clearly obtained and just as easily you can ignore the first one if the 2nd location is better claiming the 2nd restart location is more advantageous, thus, that itself, was the advantage of the 1st foul realized!

Ironically in an adult tournament there was a tripping foul of an attacker along the PA boundary left corner which cause him to stumble but forged on towards the PA arc where he wheeled to shoot at the near empty goal but was shirt pulled off balance, thus the shot went wide. The CR had quietly applied advantage on the trip seeing the attacker had the potential to recover and the follow up holding of course had to be called. Now the restart for the 2nd foul was clearly a DFK outside but the initial trip was along the PA boundary line and the AR indicated to the CR that the foul occurred inside the PA thus that trip was now into PK status. Thus which restart do you think was chosen? Which player was cautioned for SPA? If you guessed a Pk correct. If you guessed the 1st foul defender correct. BUT did you guess the 2nd foul defender was sent off for DOGSO? lol

As to your 2nd question
The circumstances and timing as to how it melds together.
A10 is carelessly fouled by B5 so if play was stopped, the caution for SPA could be awarded & B5 shown a yellow card
However if play is allowed to continue the SPA is no longer valid if it has not stopped the attack? When the teammate A15 passes the ball forward was the ball recovered and in full control? Or was it more of a deflection or a contested challenge that might have broken favourably for attack but for the referee intervention?

The ball touches the referee and possession changes so the defenders wind up with the ball.

Either the advantage was realized or it was not.

Should the referee feels his interference affected the outcome and was thinking advantage was not realized, back to the spot of the foul.
If the advantage was realized then they squandered it by a mistake later? Play continues and depending on the location, if it has no effect on play simply ignored, a DB to the keeper if inside the PA, or a DB to A team!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
Thanks for the question
S1. In the first situation as advantage has been played there is no stopping a promising attack by B5. So there is no caution here. That is outlined in Law 12.
As B33 has stopped a promising attack with a free kick awarded B33 is cautioned.

On the second situation the key is timing. If the referee believes that advantage has been realised then play continues. As play has been stopped because of the ball making contact with the referee it is a drópped ball to Team A.

To my way of thinking if play has been allowed to continue with a potential advantage I would be reluctant to caution for an SPA on B5. While it technically could be a caution it probably is not egregious enough to card particularly when A get the ball back and continues with play.
I would rather see a referee call the offence immediately and card if SPA is present.
If advantage is played and realised SPA is mute as nothing has been stopped.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 35765