ASK THE REFEREE!

(The answers to the questions on this page are not official AYSO nor FIFA rulings, but are the educated opinions of experienced Referees. ) Send your Questions to askref@saratogasoccer.org

Since this website deals primarily with youth soccer, referees in youth games (especially recreational youth games) should avoid being overzealous in interpreting the "backpass rule". This rule was originally implemented to prevent time wasting when a team repeatedly passed the ball back to their own goalkeeper, therefore preventing opponents from challenging for the ball and making the last 10-15 minutes of games very dull. For younger age groups, if a "backpass" unintentionally occurs, a verbal reminder will often suffice.

A. This is a valid goal (in fact it once happened exactly this way in a professional game a few years ago). The reason this is not an offside violation is that the defending team gains possession of the ball, which ends the play during which the attacker may be judged to be offside. Under Law 11, the attacking player is judged to be offside if he is in an offside position when the ball is played or touched by a member of his team, AND he becomes involved in the subsequent play. Once the defense gains possession of the ball, that play is considered to be over. Note that there is a critical difference between a deflection off one or more defenders (in which case, if the ball makes it through to the attacker, he is still offside) and actually having the defenders gain possession of the ball. Once the defenders gain possession, if they then make a silly mistake the Law will not save them.

Q. My daughter's U10 coach told her to use her body to shield the ball from an opponent and if the opponent tries to move around her, then she should use her arm bent at the elbow to block or impede the opponent from reaching the ball. He stated that he has been playing for years and has never seen this move called a foul. Is this legal? If it is legal, should it be taught to in a U10 recreational league setting?

A. The Law allows a player that is within playing distance of the ball to shield the ball from an opponent in order to gain or retain possession. This means that a player is allowed to place her body between the ball and the opponent to block the opponent's path to the ball, and to move her body to remain between the ball and the opponent, but ONLY when the player is herself "within playing distance", a term which is not precisely defined but is generally interpreted to mean 1-2 steps distance. If a player moves to block the path of an opponent outside of playing distance from the ball, she is guilty of impeding, which is a foul punishable by an indirect free kick. Note that a player that is within playing distance can never be guilty of impeding, but she can be guilty of other fouls. A player cannot use her hands or arms to shield an opponent from the ball -- if she does so, she would be guilty of pushing, a foul punishable by a direct free kick. The Law is very clear on the difference between shielding and pushing, but the confusion that you note comes from the way the Law is enforced at different age groups and skill levels. In general, at the U-10 recreational level, the Law is interpreted quite strictly, and players are often warned to keep elbows by their sides to avoid exactly this type of foul. As the level of play increases, players are allowed more latitude in having their arms away from their body, but the interpretation is still that the players are sensing the position of the opponent with the arm contact, not actually pushing the opponent away. At the professional level, the strong use of the arms can look like a mugging in progress, but the referee is still making the judgement (although with a considerably different standard) of when the player is using the arms to help position the body properly to shield the ball vs. using the arms to push the opponent away.

When did GK possession change to 6 seconds?

Q. When was the Law of Goalkeeper possession for a maximum of six seconds applied for the first time?

A. In Law changes that took effect on July 1, 2000, Law 12 was modified to remove the restriction on goalkeeper movement while in possession of the ball (previously was limited to four steps) and replaced this with a time restriction of six seconds. However, for many years prior to this time referees had been advised to use a guideline of 5-6 seconds in judging when the goalkeeper was wasting time by holding the ball (even if he was standing in one place). So the "six second" limit was effectively part of the Laws of the Game for many years prior to the change -- what the 2000 Law change did was remove the restriction of only being able to take four steps. Even today, referees are advised to use the "six second rule" as a guideline and to verbally warn the GK at least once before enforcing this violation.

Offside when the goalkeeper comes out

Q. The offside rule states that two defenders need to be between the goal line and the attacking player when the ball is played to him. The
goalkeeper is counted as one of these defenders. But if the goalie was further away from the goal line than the attacker, and there was only one defender in front of the of the person receiving the ball when the ball was played, would the striker be offside?

A. Yes. Law 11, which covers offside, is a simple Law but is complex in application due to the number of decisions which must be made simultaneously by the referee team. Law 11 specifies two conditions for an offside infraction: POSITION, which is defined as being ahead of both the ball and the second to last defender "at the moment the ball is played or touched by a teammate"; and PARTICIPATION, which means the player in the offside position participated in the subsequent play. The Law does not distinguish between the goalkeeper and other defenders, but since in most cases the last defender is the goalkeeper, many people have the misunderstanding that the last field player is the player that determines the "offside line". In the case you describe, once the goalkeeper comes out past the last field player, then the goalkeeper becomes the second last defender, and when he passes two f

Foul immediately followed by a goal
Q. If an offensive player crosses a ball in the penalty area and it results in a defensive player sticking an arm out and redirecting the ball into his own goal (from about 6 yards out), does this result in a goal by advantage rules or a penalty kick for the offense.? Can you point to a specific FIFA rule that covers this?

A. The result is a goal. Although Law 12 specifies that the punishment for handling the ball deliberately is a direct free kick, and, if by a defending player within his own penalty area, results in a penalty kick, as long as the referee has not stopped play prior to the ball crossing the goal line then the advantage clause of Law 5 should be applied. The advantage clause of Law 5 supercedes the punishments for fouls indicated by Law 12, and in this case the result is a goal. ["The referee... allows play to continue when the team against which an offense has been committed will benefit from such an advantage..."] If the defending player intentionally attempted to block a shot that was going into the goal but was unsuccessful in preventing the ball from entering the goal, the goal should be awarded but the player may still be cautioned for unsporting behavior.

When does play actually stop?
Q. The referee's whistle sounds during a play. This play ultimately results in a goal. I am not quite sure of the timing of the whistle (before,
during or after the shot). What constitutes a stopping of play? If the referee whistle blows, I suspect that play stops immediately. The whistle
sounded due to a foul.

A. When a referee blows the whistle, that action cannot be "undone", so play must be stopped at that point. In fact, play is considered
stopped when the referee makes the decision to stop play, in other words preceding the actual whistle. For these reasons, referees are
cautioned against premature decisions to stop play when an advantage situation might immediately develop. In the play you describe above
(assuming the foul was against the defending team), if the whistle sounds before the ball crosses the goal line then the goal cannot be allowed.

Kicking the ball from laying position, collision between player and goalie
Q. A forward and a goalie collide, both are on the ground scrambling for the ball. The forward, while on the ground, kicks the ball and scores. Should this have been called a dangerous play on the forward?

A. Without further information, it's hard to provide a specific answer to this question. There are two parts of this incident that may be interpreted as violations of the Law. When the forward and the goalkeeper collide, depending on the circumstances it usually would be consider a foul against the forward. The goalkeeper is provided an extra degree of protection due to the hazards which are a normal part of this job. The usual interpretation is that attacking players have the burden of avoiding significant contact with the goalkeeper during normal play. Exceptions would be if the goalkeeper created the contact or if the goalkeeper came outside the penalty area, where he or she becomes just another field player.

The second part of your question concerns the forward kicking the ball while on the ground. A common misunderstanding is the belief that players are not allowed to play the ball while they are lying on the ground, but the actual Law prohibits dangerous play, which includes the situation of a player on the ground who is creating a danger to himself or interfering with others who are trying to play the ball. If, in the opinion of the referee, the player can safely play the ball while on the ground, then there is nothing forbidden about this action.

Deflected ball
Q. What is the law in regard to an attacking player in an offside position receiving a ball from an opposing defender? If it is just a bad pass to the attacker then there is no foul? How about a deflection off a defender to the attacker? Hasn't the offending player given themselves an unfair advantage in both situations by their position in play?

A. Law 11 defines an offside infraction as occurring "at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team". If a defender has control of the ball and makes a bad pass to an opponent in an offside position, this is simply a mistake by the defender and is not an offside infraction. Although you are correct that the attacker gains an advantage from being in the offside position, an offside infraction requires the involvement of at least two attackers -- one to play the ball, the other to be in an offside position and get involved in play. However, when a ball is played by an attacker, then deflects off one (or more) defender(s), and finally comes to another attacker who was in an offside position at the time the ball was first played, this is an offside infraction and will be penalized. It is only when a defender plays the ball under control that the original offside position of the attacker is "forgiven".

Unsporting behavior
Q. Two players of the same team are going to the ball. Player one calls player two off the ball by yelling "I GOT IT" and takes the ball. None of the opposing players are within five to ten yards of the play. Should there be a call made by the Referee for an infringement of the laws?

A. No Law has been infringed here, so no call is necessary. The two players are engaging in verbal communication between teammates which is common and allowed in soccer, and certainly encouraged by their coach! The line between fair play and unsporting behavior is that players may not use verbal comments directed at opponents to disrupt the other team's play. A classic example is that an attacker near his opponent's goal may not yell "KEEPER!" to deceive defenders into letting the ball come through to him. Another example is that a player may not yell "I GOT IT!" when the only purpose is to deceive an opponent who otherwise would have a play on the ball. In such cases, the referee should stop play, caution the offending player, and restart with an indirect free kick for the other team.

Goalkeeper kicks ball straight up
Q. A question about a ruling I made two weeks ago. The goalkeeper was holding the ball in the penalty area and kicked it. This being a U10 league, the ball didn't exactly go where she intended. It went straight up. When the ball came down she caught it (still in the penalty area). What's the appropriate call? I penalized her for handling the ball a second time before someone else had touched it. I assumed that by kicking the ball (even straight up) she had put the ball in play. An indirect free kick was awarded to the other team from where she caught the ball. Is this right?

A. You are correct by the letter of the Law. The goalkeeper put the ball in play and then touched it again with her hands before the ball had touched another player, which is a violation of Law 12. The penalty for violating this part of Law 12 is specified as an indirect free kick. With this particular violation, the referee should consider the age and experience of the goalkeeper in deciding the best course of action, and, on a first occurrence with an inexperienced goalkeeper, might choose to verbally warn the goalkeeper.

Illegal Substitution
Q. During an U12G game this weekend, the other team made an illegal substitution. The situation was the following: 0-0 game halfway through the 3rd quarter; opposing team player runs to the coach and complains to the coach about a cramp; opposing coach sends in a substitute without notifying a referee or even at a stoppage; at the substitution stoppage at the end of the 3rd quarter the coach substitutes in the player that had previously left the game with a cramp. I knew that this was an illegal substitution, but would you suggest I do in that situation?

A. According to the strict letter of Law 12, entering or leaving the field of play without the referee's permission is a cautionable offense. In such a situation, the Law would dictate that both the player leaving the field and the player entering the field would receive a caution (yellow card). However, this punishment would not be appropriate to players of this age, and the real culprit is the coach who is probably unaware of the correct substitution procedure.

If a player is injured during an AYSO game, the first thing that must happen is that the attention of the referee must be drawn to the situation. When the referee stops play, if the player needs to leave the field for treatment then the coach has the option of simply removing the player temporarily or of substituting another player. If the first option is selected, the player may reenter the game later in the same period with the permission of the referee. If the second option is selected, the substitute will play the remainder of that period, but the (injured) player who started the period will be credited with play for that entire period toward the requirement for minimum playing time. The injured player may reenter the game at the start of the next period, providing that minimum playing time requirements are observed for all players.

In regard to what you should do if such a situation arises, that depends on your role in the game (which your question does not make clear). If you are the Assistant Referee, it is best to try to get the referee's attention, but failing that, you should recognize that replacing an injured player is in the interests of the game and "give your permission" for the substitution, informing the referee at the next opportunity. If you are the other coach or a spectator, you might want to remind the coach that the referee needs to be informed before the substitute is sent onto the field.

Goalkeeper Ball Handling
Q. Can a goalkeeper bounce the ball on the ground with his hand and pick it up? Will this constitute an IFK to the other team as the goalkeeper touched the ball after putting it in play by bouncing the ball on the ground? Also, what is the call when a goalkeeper picks up the ball after it has been kicked by the opposite team, the ball slips out of his hand, he picks it up again. Is this a foul?

A. Law 12 penalizes a goalkeeper who "touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not been touched by another player". So the question is, what constitutes "possession"? A goalkeeper is considered to remain in possession of the ball while bouncing it on the ground, or while tossing it softly into the air. Many goalkeepers have these habits, and there is no intent to release the ball into play. In the second part of your question, a goalkeeper who accidentally drops the ball and immediately picks it up again may have violated the letter of the Law, but the intelligent referee will not see such an action as a deliberate foul that requires a sanction. The referee might simply warn the goalkeeper to be more careful.

Players' Positions during Penalty Kick
Q. When a penalty kick is awarded, all players except the goal keeper must move outside of the "penalty area". Where must all other team members be prior to the penalty kick being taken? Some players might stand behind the line (outside) of the box (behind the person taking the penalty kick) - can any player stand on the sides of the penalty area?

A. According to Law 14, when a penalty kick is about to be taken all players other than the kicker (you forgot her!) and the defending goalkeeper must be (a) inside the field of play, (b) outside the penalty area of the defending team, (c) behind the penalty mark, and (d) at least 10 yards from the ball. This last requirement is the reason for the "penalty arc", which is painted to mark the area outside the penalty area that is 10 yards from the penalty mark. The penalty arc serves no other purpose than to mark the allowed position of players during a penalty kick.
So to answer your second question, players may stand along the sides of the penalty area as long as they do not stand in front of the ball (i.e., no closer than 12 yards to the goal line). In part, this is to ensure that no player can be in an offside position at the moment of a penalty kick, since the referee and assistant referee have other things to watch that make it difficult to monitor offside position at this time.

Substituting for Goalkeeper
Q. Our referee team had a interesting request from a coach who, upon realizing that a PK had been awarded to the attacking team, made an immediate request of the center to substitute the Goalie for another player on the field. The teams had no substitutes and each side was eleven strong. The laws only refer to the substitution of the goalie at a stoppage in play with the permission of the center referee. I am curious if there is another interpretation for the youth games when a goalie may be intimidated by such an event.

A. The Law allows the the goalkeeper to change position with another player at any stoppage in play (such as prior to a PK) with the permission of the referee. The referee should not deny such a request, the requirement is really only that the referee be informed of the change. Most youth leagues limit the opportunities for substitution (e.g. AYSO is only at "quarters" or for injury), but if the stoppage occurred at that time the goalkeeper may be replaced by any field player or with a substitute.

Goalie cannot hold the ball more than 6 seconds
Q. I am a parent with a 9-year-old playing soccer. Here goes: The referee said the goalie held the ball for more than 6 seconds. He called an indirect free kick 30 ft from the goal. The opposing player kicked the ball directly at the goal - the goaltender deflected the ball but it went in the net - first the referee said it didn't count then quickly changed his mind and said because it was an indirect kick and the goalie touched it, it was now a goal (the game was now a tie). I know this is just for fun at this point in my boy's life but they played very hard and were disappointed.

A. Based on your description of the events, the referee was correct. The referee is the sole judge of whether the goalkeeper holds the ball for more than six seconds. If a violation of this Law is called, the restart is an indirect free kick for the other team at the spot where the GK was standing. An indirect free kick becomes a goal if it enters the goal after touching any other player (from either team). The only concern that your description raises is that in any youth game, in particular a U-10 game, the referee should be cautious about making this call unless prior encouragement to get the ball back into play and verbal warnings have failed.

Goalkeepers running with the ball
Q. I have heard that goalkeepers are now allowed to run with the ball. I have seen this happening in MLS, where the keeper gets the ball deep in the penalty area and runs to the top of the penalty area before he kicks it or throws it back into play. Is this a new rule?

A. This is one of the changes in the Laws for 2000, and becomes effective for most leagues (including AYSO) as of July 1, 2000. Previously, Law 12 limited the goalkeeper to four steps before releasing the ball. This was originally intended to avoid time-wasting by the goalkeeper, and this was supplemented in recent years with additional instructions that the goalkeeper was allowed 5-6 seconds before releasing the ball into play. As of July 1, the old Law on "four steps" is eliminated. The goalkeeper is now allowed six seconds after s/he gains possession of the ball before releasing it into play, and may choose to run anywhere within the penalty area within that time. The "six seconds" is intended as a guideline -- referees are advised not to count the seconds in any obvious fashion, and initial violations should be handled with verbal warnings. If following verbal warnings the goalkeeper continues to waste time, the referee may award an indirect free kick to the other team, and in extreme cases may also caution the goalkeeper for time-wasting. The judgement of the six second limit and the appropriate penalties are solely within the opinion of the referee.

Q. In a recent game, the referee called a foul against our team for handling the ball within our goal area. He awarded an indirect free kick to the other team 2 feet from our goal line. Is there ANY situation in AYSO rules where ANY penalty against the defense in the goal box does not result in a penalty kick?

A. AYSO rules are identical to FIFA and most other leagues in this situation. Sometimes specific regions will modify rules for very young players (U-6, U-8) and eliminate penalty kicks, usually restarting with a free kick just outside the penalty area. In the absence of such modifications, the referee will award the restart depending on the nature of the foul or other violation. A penalty kick will be awarded for all direct free kick (DFK) fouls against the defending team that occur within the penalty area. An indirect free kick will be awarded for all indirect free kick (IFK) fouls, which include such things as dangerous play, impeding another player, and most goalkeeper violations. If an indirect free kick is awarded, the kick is taken from the spot of the violation EXCEPT when the violation occurs within the goal area, in which case the kick is taken from the "6 yard line" at the spot nearest to where the violation occurred.

In your example the referee erred. If the violation was handling the ball, the restart would be a penalty kick. If the violation was an indirect free kick foul, the ball should have been moved out to the six yard line. If the violation was handling the ball and the action prevented the ball from going into the goal, a penalty kick is awarded and the player involved is sent off (red card) for a deliberate foul to deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity.

Ball Placement after offside
Q. Please describe for me the location for the placement of the ball following an offside infraction. In my opinion, the "point of the infraction" is even with the second to last defender.

A. Law 11 (which covers offside) specifies that "for any offside offense, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from where the infringement occurred" [subject to the special requirements of Law 8]. So the question is, where did the infringement occur? Law 11 also states that "a player in any offside position is...penalized..", so it is the player in the offside position who commits the infraction (not the player who passed her the ball). Therefore the correct location for the restart in an offside infraction is the location of the offside player at the moment the ball is played by a teammate. In most cases, the difference between the location of the offside player and the location of second last defender is not much distance (perhaps a few yards), and since the ball is being kicked from the defensive half the referee is not going to be particular about the exact location of the kick (it won't matter much). However, in an extreme example, we can consider an attacker located near the corner flag while the defenders are at the halfway line. A ball kicked to this attacker by a teammate would result in an offside violation, and the correct location for the restart is the original location of the attacker (i.e., by the corner flag). The "special requirements of Law 8" refer to an attacker within the goal area, in which the defensive team may take the indirect free kick from anywhere within the goal area.

Goalkeeper Movement During Penalty Kick
Q. Two weeks ago, we were involved in a game in which the opposing team was given a penalty kick against our team (one of our defenders had handled the ball). The referee told my goalkeeper that he could not move until the opposing player had kicked the ball. I thought that that goalkeepers could in fact move, as long as it was laterally and not towards the kicker. What is the correct ruling, please?

A. You are correct, and the referee made an error in instructing the goalkeeper that he "could not move". In 1997 Law 14 was changed and now reads that the defending goalkeeper "remains on his goal line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts until the ball has been kicked". The phrase "without moving his feet" was removed from the Law. It would help such matters if every referee (and coach) would attend yearly update classes. The Laws of The Game are not static, they change a little each year as the game develops.

Q. I have played soccer most of my life (35 years) and I recently started coaching in AYSO. I have watched the goal kick restart often and seen two different referee decisions if the ball does not clear the 18 yard line. (a) If an opposing player plays the ball, before it clears the 18 yard line, the referee restarts with a goal kick. (b) If a defending player touches the ball, the referee sometimes blows for a restart and sometime lets play go on. What is the correct ruling?

A. Law 16 requires the goal kick to clear the penalty area before the ball is in play. After the initial kick, if the ball is touched by any player before it completely crosses the line marking the penalty area, the kick must be retaken. So strictly speaking, any touch within the penalty area should result in a retake. Perhaps in the very young age groups where players have trouble kicking the ball out of the penalty area, the referee might wisely choose to ignore a slight touch by a defending player just before the ball crosses outside the penalty area.

Size of Field
Q. What are the proper field dimensions for an under 10 team?
A. Law 1 specifies the size of the field as between 100 and 130 yards long and between 50 and 100 yards wide. For FIFA-approved international matches, Law 1 further restricts the field size to between 110 and 120 yards long and between 70 and 80 yards wide.

For youth matches in Under-16 and below, FIFA allows authorized local organization bodies (such as AYSO) to make modifications to specific areas of the law, including the size of the ball and the size of the field. However, no guidance is given under the Laws as to the "appropriate size" for different age groups. It is up to the local organizers to determine what is appropriate for different age groups. Also, field sizes will vary with the number of players, since many areas play "short-sided" (less than 11 players per team) for U-10, U-18 and U-6 players.

For U-10 players playing 11 players per side, there are some practical limits to field size. If the players are using full size penalty areas (which are 44 yards wide), the field needs to be at a minimum about 50 yards wide simply to provide some space on either side. Also, the field needs to be about 70 yards long to prevent the penalty areas, penalty arcs and center circle from colliding with each other. However, about the largest field that is practical for U-10 players is 100 x 65. So somewhere between 70 x 50 and 100 x 65 would be appropriate for U-10 players.

Penalty before dropped ball
Q. At a dropped ball, a player commits an offense before the ball touches the ground. What must the referee do? Including punishments and how is the game restarted?

A. Since the ball has not yet touched the ground, the offense is committed while the ball is out of play. Any offense committed while the ball is out of play does not change the restart, so the restart will still be a dropped ball. In most cases (probably all cases involving a dropped ball), the referee will delay the restart to deal with the misconduct. The nature of the misconduct will determine the punishment, either a caution (yellow card) or send off (red card).

Impeding the Progress of an Opponent
Q. I'm a referee in the Northern Virginia area. I was wondering about a practice I observed being frequently used by defenders on the US National Team or on MLS squads. Many a time I've seen a defender run behind a rolling ball, last touched by the attacking side, and use his body to shield potential attackers from playing it, to win the goal kick for his keeper. In my mind, it seems that the defender is denying the attacker his right to play the ball. But, the defender in me believes that it is good, intelligent defense. The thing is, though, I've never seen it called. Does a Law cite this particular circumstance as a legal technique?

A. The issue here is whether the defender is legally shielding the ball from another player or is impeding the progress of an opponent. Impeding the progress of an opponent is a foul which would result in an indirect free kick (see Law 12). The critical factor in distinguishing legal shielding from impeding is whether the player doing the shielding (or impeding) is within playing distance of the ball. The player does not have to be playing the ball, he just has to be within playing distance (usually interpreted as about two steps). The situation you describe above is a common strategy of legally shielding the ball to win a goal kick. The defender does not touch the ball, but may use his body to prevent the attacker from getting to the ball. In this situation, the attacker is allowed to charge the defender (make contact), but should the attacker aggressively push the defender, the referee will call a pushing foul against the attacker.

Ball Placement at Corner Kick
Q. When taking a corner kick, where can you place the ball? I'd like to place it as far from the corner flag as possible.

A. Law 17 states that the ball must be placed "inside the corner arc" for the taking of a corner kick. However, in soccer the ball is considered to be inside an area if any part of the ball is over any part of the area, and the lines are considered to be part of the area. So you may place the ball right in the extreme corner where the touch line meets the corner arc, and even slightly outside this corner as long as at least part of the ball is over the outside edge of the line.

Protection of Goalkeeper
Q. At a game last week, the ball was bouncing around in front of the goal while the goalie was on the ground trying to control the ball. The goalie seemed to touch the ball a few times but never controlled it completely and eventually the offensive players scored a goal. The goalie actually claimed that he had trapped the ball with his hand on top of the ball against the ground when offensive players knocked it loose, but referee never saw this. At what point must offensive players refrain from kicking the ball when the goalie has his hands on the ball but may not be controlling it?

A. The goalkeeper is considered to have possession of the ball if he has the ball trapped on the ground with as little as one finger on the ball. Once the referee sees this, any attempt by an attacker to kick the ball loose would be a foul. In addition, during a scramble for the ball within the penalty area, the attackers have the obligation to avoid any significant contact with the goalkeeper. Any significant contact may be deemed a foul, whether or not the goalkeeper has possession of the ball. Although it's natural for attackers to try to score a goal, their first obligation (and the first obligation of the Referee) is to keep the game safe and protect the goalkeeper.

Dangerous Play
Q. An attacker is dribbling the ball towards the opponent's goal. As he approaches, he accidentally trips (no foul by a defender) and falls such that his head is near the ball. At the instant he falls, the defender kicks the ball in what looks like nearly kicking his opponent in the head. Do you call dangerous play on the defender for not backing off, or on the attacker for putting himself in such a position?

A. In this situation, you need to ask who created the danger. The defender is supposed to try to kick the ball away, so if the attacker creates a situation where the defender cannot (safely) do his job, the foul is against the attacker and award an IFK to the defense. In an extreme case, if the defender did not hold back and actually kicked the attacker, you might caution the defender, but the correct restart would still be an IFK for the defense for dangerous play by the attacker.

Handball by offense
Q. During a recent game one of our forwards was near the center of the opposing team's goal when a teammate kicked a strong kick toward the goal. At the last second our forward saw the ball coming at his face and threw an arm up in a reflex action. The ball hit him on the side of the face and didn't touch his arm or hand. Our forward was yellow carded. I thought the rules were that our player would be carded if he deliberately used his hands to stop a ball from going into our goal.

A. If the referee thought the player struck the ball with his hand deliberately, perhaps in an attempt to score a goal, the yellow card would be the appropriate punishment (in addition to a direct free kick for the defense). Although I can't read the Referee's mind, from your description I assume this was the call. If the referee did not think the ball struck the player's hand or arm, there would be no foul, no call. On the last part of your question, if a player deliberately fouls to stop the ball going his own goal, he would be sent off (red card).

Slide Tackles
Q. During a recent game, we were called for two slide tackles that seemed to be executed well (going for the ball and in front of the opposing player). At the beginning of our next game, I asked the ref to explain the ref's position on slide tackling to the players. The ref said that a slide tackle was illegal if it wasn't executed cleanly and the opposing player fell as a result of it. Based on this ruling, I told the kids to not even attempt a slide tackle during the last game.

A. The referee's explanation is correct but might require a little more elaboration. First, slide tackles are not in themselves illegal. A slide tackle must be carried out in a carefully prescribed manner. The defender must play the ball only, not the other player. The defender must contact the ball before any contact is made with the other player. The defender must not put himself or the other player in any significant danger by his actions. A defender may execute a slide tackle correctly, cleanly stop the ball, the other player may fall over the ball, and no foul has occurred -- PROVIDED that, in the opinion of the referee, the defender did not endanger himself or the other player. An incorrect slide tackle is always a foul and may also be a yellow or red card. A correct slide tackle may not be a foul but could still be dangerous play, depending on the age and abilities of the players.

A. Metal spikes are rarely seen in youth games, but there is no specific prohibition against metal spikes. The spikes must be smooth and have no sharp edges or points. In addition, if the spikes are removable, the threaded bolt must be part of the spike and not the shoe.

Physically challenging another player.
Q. I recently watched a game of 9 and 10 year old girls. Sizes of the girls range tremendously at this age. The smallest player on the field weighs 50 pounds. The largest weighs 110 pounds. Most of the time, the larger girls make fair physical challenges on the ball, using their size and bulk to effectively screen the smaller players. However, once in a while, the larger player would provide a "hip check" to move the smaller girl off the ball. I believe the hip check is effectively a push and should result in an indirect kick.

What criteria does the referee use to judge whether a physical challenge on the ball is fair or foul?

A. The referee must be guided by his primary obligation to keep youth games "safe, fair and fun". When players of different physical size or ability compete, the referee must ensure that the game remains safe for the smaller players. This does not mean eliminating contact altogether, but actions on the part of the stronger players that might be considered "fair" against opponents of similar size and ability can create an unsafe situation with smaller opponents. The referee should use his discretion in determining that such actions are either dangerous play (IFK to opponent) or careless or reckless charges (careless = DFK, reckless = caution and DFK).

To answer the second part of your question, for players of roughly equal ability a "fair charge" is a momentary, staccato shoulder-to-shoulder contact. A "hip check" is not a fair charge. The restart would be a direct free kick for the opponent.

A. A direct free kick or indirect free kick is awarded depending on the foul or other violation of the Law that occurred. Indirect free kicks are awarded for "lesser violations" and include such things as offside, dangerous play (e.g., high kicks), impeding the progress of an opponent, and most goalkeeper offenses (e.g., picking the ball up a second time after putting it in play, or picking a ball up that is kicked directly to the goalkeeper by a member of his own team). Direct free kicks are awarded for most other fouls (pushing, tripping, handling the ball, etc.). The referee signals an indirect free kick by raising his arm straight up, and will hold the arm up until the ball is touched by another player.

Goal scored by deflection during indirect kick
Q. If an indirect kick only touches one player from the kicking team, but deflects off of a member of the defending team and goes in the goal, does the goal count?

A. Yes. A goal may be scored against the other team from an indirect kick as long as the ball touches any other player of either team prior to going into the goal.

Offside and deflected ball.
Q. If the ball is shot by a forward while a second forward is in an offside position between the shooter and the goalie, and the goalie or crossbar deflects the ball to the second forward, is the second forward offside?

A. Yes. If the ball goes directly into the goal from the first player's shot there is no offside violation (in most cases) because the second player does not get involved in the play (see previous question on this issue). However once the ball rebounds from either the post or the goalkeeper, the second player gets involved and the offside flag should go up immediately.

Goalkeeper is red carded
Q. If during the 4th quarter of an AYSO game (after all opportunities for substitutions have passed) a goalkeeper receives a red card and is sent off, is the team allowed to replace the goalkeeper?

A. The Law requires that each team have a goalkeeper at all times, but a player who is sent off may not be replaced. In the situation you describe, the team would have to identify one of the remaining players on the field as the new goalkeeper for that team.

Handball by defender.
Q. During a shot on goal, a defender (not the goalkeeper) hits the ball with his hand in an effort to keep the ball from going into the goal. However, the ball bounces into the goal. What should the referee do?

A. The referee should award the goal. This is a situation where advantage should be allowed, and the hand ball foul should not be called since it would take the goal away from the offense. If the referee felt that the hand ball was intentional in a deliberate effort to keep the ball from going into the goal, the referee should award the goal and caution (show the yellow card to) the player for unsporting behavior. If the player had been successful at deliberately stopping a goal with his hand, the referee should send off (show the red card to) the player for a foul to stop an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, and the restart would be a penalty kick.

Offside.
Q. A striker is in an offside position within the goal area when his teammate shoots and scores. Should this goal count, or is this offside?

A. In most cases, this is not offside and the goal counts. Law 11 states that a player does not commit an offside infraction simply by being in an offside position, he or she must also be involved in active play. Simply being in the goal area (although obviously close to the play) does not imply involvement in the play if the other player shoots directly on goal. This would be offside only if the referee thought the player got involved in active play either by being so close to the goalkeeper as to interfere with the GK's movement, or by standing in front of the goalkeeper to screen the GK from the shot.

Goal kick.
Q. On a goal kick, can the defense kick the ball to the side? Or does the ball have to be kicked forward to go past the 18-yard line marking the front of the penalty area?

A. Law 16 states that the ball is in play from a goal kick when the ball completely leaves the penalty area. The ball can leave the penalty area either to the front or to the side, so it is OK to kick the ball to the side on a goal kick.

Offside during breakaway.
Q. Two forwards have a breakaway towards the goal. Player A (without the ball) is behind the ball when Player B kicks it forward. Player A then runs forward past Player B and kicks the ball towards the goal. Is this offside?

A. No. Law 11 states that the moment of judgement for offside is when the ball is played or passed by the teammate. Since at that moment Player A was behind the ball, he or she was not in an offside position.

Goalie and defensive throw-in.
Q. The ball is kicked over the touch line by the attacking team near the goal line. The throw-in is taken by a defending team member, who then throws the ball toward his goalie. The goalie then picks up the ball. The ref blows the whistle to stop play. Is this a foul? If so, what is the penalty?

A. Prior to 1997 this play would be legal, but in 1997 the Law was changed to prohibit a keeper from handling a ball which is thrown-in directly to him by a teammate. The restart for this violation is an indirect free kick for the other team at the spot the keeper picked up the ball.

Jumping during throw-in.
Q. A player on the team we played against would jump when he took a throw-in. The Ref didn't call this back. Don't you have to keep your feet on the ground when you take a throw-in?

A. Law 15 states "At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower [must have] part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line". The key words here are "at the moment of delivering the ball". After the player releases the ball, it is not a violation of the law if the force of the throw causes his feet to leave the ground. A player could throw-in the ball while standing on tip-toes, as long as his toes were on or behind the touch line.

Corner kick
Q. In last week's game, I took a corner kick for our team. I kicked it towards my teammate, but he didn't see what I was doing and ran the other way. I had to race to the ball and kick it again before a player from the other team could get it. I didn't even touch the other player, but the referee called a foul on me. Why did he do this?

A. From your description, the referee probably called a foul on you for playing the ball a second time before another player had touched the ball. On most restarts (kick off, throw-in, corner kicks, free kicks, etc.) the player that takes the restart may not touch the ball a second time before another player has touched the ball. The penalty for this is an indirect free kick (IFK) for the other team. Since this is an unusual call, it probably would have helped if the referee had explained the call to you when the call was made.

Q. May a team change their goalkeeper after the end of timed play when a shootout is the next tiebreaker or do they need to keep the same goalie that they ended play with? Also, may a goalie move forward before the ball is struck in a shootout or is that just an old MLS rule?

A. When a game ends in a tie and the rules of the competition specify that a winner is to be decided by kicks from the penalty mark, only players that are participating in the game at the end of the regulation game may participate in the kicks (either as kicker or goalkeeper). However, within this restriction, any player on the field may be the goalkeeper, and the team may change goalkeepers before each kick if they choose, just as they can during the course of a game.

In a penalty kick or in kicks from the mark to determine a winner, the goalkeeper must remain on the goal line until the ball is kicked. Due to Law change a few years ago, he or she is allowed to move along the goal line prior to the kick.

The old MLS shootout (now dead and buried) allowed the goalkeeper to leave the goal line as the shooter dribbled the ball toward goal from about 35 yards out. The shooter had five seconds to get off a shot. The most interesting part of the MLS shootout was the comical situations it created when the GK fouled the shooter or came outside the penalty area and handled the ball. When the GK was sent off for such actions, since no substitute from the bench could take his place one of the field players would have to play "goalkeeper", usually for the first time since he was 10 years old.

Q. Here is the situation. The keeper was out of position when the shot was made. The defender leaped to reach the ball with his head. Realizing that he was not going to be able to reach the ball, he extended his arm, hit the ball and prevented it from going into the goal. What should the referee's call be?

A. For older players in competitive matches, this situation is covered in Law 12 under Sending-off Offences: "A player is sent off and shown the red card if he...denies the opposing team a goal...by deliberately handing the ball..." So the player would be shown the red card, sent off the field and a penalty kick awarded to the attacking team. However in lower age groups (U-8, U10, maybe U-12) and in recreational play, the referee might take into account the age, ability and intent of the player and may choose to limit the punishment to a penalty kick for the attacking team, perhaps accompanied by a clear explanation to the player involved of the seriousness of his actions.

A. Yes, in this example this would be a goal. A goal can be scored from anywhere on the field, except in a few specific situations. The most common is that a goal cannot be scored directly from an indirect free kick, which is a free kick awarded for certain kinds of fouls (such as dangerous play or offside). The referee will indicate that the kick is indirect by holding his arm straight up. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw in. Also, a team cannot score a goal directly against itself on a free kick (for example, if a player taking the free kick kicked the ball back towards his own goalkeeper, and the goalkeeper was not paying attention allowing the ball to go directly into the goal without touching anyone, this would not be a valid goal and the restart would be a corner kick for the opponents). However, none of these restrictions has anything to do with where the ball is on the field when the kick is taken -- there's only one section in the Laws where the location of the kick could be important, and that is when a free kick or goal kick is being taken inside the team's own penalty area. In this case, should the kicker for some reason kick the ball into his own goal, the restart would be to retake the kick again, since the ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty area, and therefore it left the field without ever being in play.

Ask The Referee!!!