Question Number: 35786

High School 10/31/2024

RE: High School

R. Banks of New York, New York USA asks...

The attacker has control of the ball and is tripped from behind by the last defender at the 18. The keeper is at the penalty spot at the time of the occurrence. Is criteria four met even if the keeper is 6 yards away from the attacking player?

103983

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
NFHS and FIFA are at one on the denying on obvious goal scoring opportunity conditions.
According to NFHS to determine if an offense meets the DOGSO criteria, the following must be considered:
1. Distance between the offense and the goal.
2. General direction of the play.
3. Likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball.
4. Location and number of defenders.

From your description all four conditions are present. The location of the goalkeeper is irrelevant in this case as it is the location of defenders that is key.
There is a misnomer of *last defender* yet it does reflect the majority of DOGSO situations.
In your example without the trip the attacker would have a clear goal scoring opportunity and therefore as that is denied the offender is disqualified .
DOGSO offenses committed OUTSIDE the penalty area where a goal is not scored are sanctioned with a disqualification (12-9-2d(3)).
If a defender commits a DOGSO foul INSIDE their penalty area resulting in a penalty kick:
# If the offender was attempting to play the ball, they are cautioned (12-9-1f(15)).
# For all other offenses (e.g., holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball, etc.) the offender is disqualified (19-9-2d(4)).

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi R Banks,
The keeper being 6 yards away means little unless the ball was ALREADY over hit and he (the keeper) was going to easily collect it ahead of the attacker. Given you stated the attacker HAS control and the trip just cuts him with down no real challenge it seems pretty clear red card send off for DOGSO reduce the team by a player, no matter if DFK or PK. If there was a realistic challenge to win the ball gone wrong and the foul occurs -INSIDE- the PA, the red card is waved and the defender only cautioned because the PK restores the 1V1 opportunity for the attacker. 1 V 1 is most definitely a goal scoring opportunity. No send off UNLES of course it was his 2nd yellow. However if it was SFP or VC then that is a red colour and send off and player reduction as well, DOGSO maybe noted as present but not the reason for the card!

To reiterate what my colleague mentioned OFSIDE uses the term 2nd last opponent when discussing placement! The last defender is generally but not always the keeper, just by the nature of the position played he is. I call any of the 11 players closest to their goal the last opponent or last defender, be it the keeper or not! DOGSO considers two defenders PLUS the keeper

1. Distance between the offense and the goal.
2. General direction of the play.
3. Likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball.
4. Location and number of defenders.
Cheers