The Weekly Soccer Referee Blog
Sharpening Referee Knowledge and Judgment, One Week at a Time
Volume 16, Issue 4 – January 28, 2024
Please forward this Blog to your fellow soccer officials or tell them about it. This is one of the tools we can use to keep sharp during the year.
The purpose of this Blog is so we can all learn from each other’s experience and by doing so, avoid mistakes, make more consistent calls, and do a better job. I don’t have to make any of this up – this is what happens on the pitch.
Quote of the Week:
“You are a terrible official.”
From a coach, when I explained why a penalty kick wasn’t assigned when one of his players kicked the ball off a defender’s arm in a normal position inside the penalty area.
Apparently, the coach thought there were special rules where ANY contact with the hand inside the penalty area was an automatic PK.
Wouldn’t that be nice? Players could “manufacture” a PK just by kicking the ball into a defender’s hand.
This isn’t what the game wants.
This Week’s Question – Smash and Crash
During a recent High School tournament soccer game….
You have two teams which are evenly matched. There are some passes to foot, but a lot of passes to space.
It’s the second half, and the fatigue on the teams is showing, but the home team has stronger legs and is making several runs on the goal.
You see B14 and B20 standing close to each other in the Team A Penalty area, looking for a pass in, when A11 runs between B14 and B20 from behind and then crashes to the ground writhing in pain.
The Team A Coach is screaming for a foul.
You Make the Call:
What is the call?
What is the restart?
Last Week’s Question: – Penalty Kick Stupidity
During a recent USSF soccer game….
You call a foul against Team B in the Penalty Area. B20 is the designated kicker.
You instruct the keeper to keep at least 1 foot on the line, not to come off until the shot is taken. You instruct the kicker “one continuous movement – you can stutter-step, but not stop.
On B20’s approach to the ball, B20 stops dead in his tracks just before he reaches the ball. Goalkeeper A00 dives to the left as a result of B20’s actions. B20 then kicks the ball into the goal.
You Make the Call:
What is the Call?
What is the Restart?
What You Said:
Referee 1:
Kicker infraction; goal disallowed.
Restart – Goal kick.
Referee 2:
A player is permitted to feint, including stopping, during the run up. Once the run up is complete then they may not feint.
Good goal restart with a kick off.
Referee 3:
You made a point of telling B20: “one continuous movement – you can stutter-step, but not stop.”
B20 scored by using trickery which is not allowed in the PK.
Disallow the goal.
Since the ball crossed the goal line, last touched by an attacking player, the restart is a goal kick.
The Answer:
Full stop. That’s the key – the kicker can hesitate but cannot come to a full stop.
The restart is an indirect free kick to the defense at the point where the player stopped. Be ready to hear the coach whine about this set play – however the rules are very clear. It must be a continuous motion. Stopping is Not Allowed.
Here is what the various rules say:
NFHS: Rule 14, Article 4: The ball shall be kicked while it is stationary on the ground from any place in the Penalty Mark. To be in play, the ball shall be moved forward. The player taking the penalty kick is permitted to use a stutter-step or a hesitation move provided there is no stopping and there is continuous movement towards the ball. Failure to kick the ball as specified shall be considered a violation by the attacking team and the appropriate penalties shall apply. Stutter-stepping is not an interruption in movement.
USSF: Law 14 Part 2, Offences and Sanctions:
Feinting to kick the ball once the kicker has completed the run-up (feinting in the run-up is permitted); the referee Cautions the kicker.
Summary Table Law 14: “Illegal” feinting – Indirect Free Kick – Caution for the Kicker.
Then you have to go to the Questions
A penalty kick has been awarded to Team A. The identified kicker has completed their run-up, deliberately stops at the end and feints to kick the ball. At the same time, a teammate of the goalkeeper (Team B) enters the penalty area before the ball is in play. The kicker scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
Answer:
When a player of each team offends, an indirect kick is awarded to Team B because Team A player commits a more serious offence (illegal feinting). The kicker is also cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behavior.
Note: the stop is considered “illegal feinting.”
NCAA: Rule 14, 14.2.4 The player taking the penalty kick is permitted to use a stutter step or a hesitation move provided there is no stopping and there is continuous movement towards the ball.
A.R. 14.3.2 On a penalty kick, the attacking team infringes upon the rule. RULING: The kick shall be retaken if a goal is scored. If the ball goes out of play over the end line or rebounds into play, an indirect free kick shall be awarded against the offending team.
So all three rules agree – NO STOPPING. Stutter-step, hesitation, but no stopping during a PK.
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Tags: AR, assistant referee, caution, dissent, Ejection, FIFA, foul, NCAA, NFHS, NISOA, push, red card, referee, soccer, soccer ref, Soccer Referee, sports, USSF, Yellow Card
theweeklysoccerreferee 
January 30, 2024 at 6:55 pm |
Who contacted whom? From the description it sounds like A11 initiated contact with B14 and B20. If play has already stopped, delay the restart. If play continues, allow it for a few moments but stop play as soon as it doesn’t compromise a promising attack.
If A11 is still in pain, have bench personnel attend to the injury. From the description, you could possibly caution A11 for simulating an injury, but I would give them a stern warning and see what happens.