Question Number: 5021

Law 14 - Penalty kick

RE: premier Under 14

Brian of , asks...

I recently watched a shootout where the goalie was allowed to guess and move to oneside before the ball was kicked. I understand that movement is allowed if she remains on her goal line, facing the kicker, and between the goalposts. Before the kick, her first step was infront of the line, turning her body away from the kicker as she began her dive. Is this what was intended by those that made law 14?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Brian Law 14 is clear in that the Goalkeeper is permitted to move on her goal line. What is not clear is the myriad of referees that consider the forward movement as trivial. That triviality sometimes extends outside the goal area. There can be no answer here until Referees at the highest levels in football apply the Law the equally or the Law is changed to reflect reality. Sorry..Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

What ref Fleischer says is absolutely true. The Law is clear: a goalkeeper may NOT move off his/her line until the ball is kicked. Period. No interpretation needed. Yet, the other night I was watching Spanish soccer on FSW and at the shootout EVERY kick taken the keeper came off his line clearly before the ball was kicked and not once was it called.

Answer provided by Referee Powell

Whilst I accept and respect your oppinions on the goalkeeper coming off their line it is a fact that neither the players nor the managers complain about this. So why should the referee make a rod for their own back by being so pedantic. We do the same thing with Throwins and free kicks and also do not give trivial fouls and these are also all points of Law. The decission is also not down to the referee at the higher levels it is down to his Assistant Referee. No doubt the referee covers this in his prematch but nevertheless the Law is the Law. The keeper can be off his line when the ball is saved because he can come to meet it and it is a split second before the ball is kicked so it is difficult for the Assistant Referee to call this and for him to then put the onus on the referee to call a retake. There are many little margins of error that go into allowing the goalkeeper to be off his line but there you have it. How many of us have penalised a goalkeeper for holding the ball for 7 seconds?

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