Question:
The following situation transpired in a competitive youth game at a regional tournament:
An attacker makes a shot towards goal from 20 yards out from and to the left of goal. The ball travels on the ground with more than enough pace to make it into the opposite side of the goal across the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper intentionally bends over (does not dive or leave his feet) and pushes the ball forwards and to his left with one hand (presumably to then play the ball with his feet). He does not stop the ball’s momentum but does change its direction from towards goal to away from it. The goalkeeper then realizes that an onrushing (onside) attacker is about 3 yards away from the ball and aiming to challenge for it, and therefore dives on the “parried” ball handling it “again.” The goalkeeper’s actions take place in the goal area immediately in front of goal and there are no defenders capable of defending the goal if the onrushing attacker beats the goalkeeper.
According to the Interpretation of the Laws the “goalkeeper is not permitted to touch the ball with his hands inside his own penalty area… if he handles the ball again after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player: …possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately *parrying* the ball.”
Did the goalkeeper in the situation described “parry” the ball and therefore commit a violation of Law 12? If not, what would constitute “parrying?” If so, assuming the 4Ds were present, does this warrant a send-off for DOGSO? The referee awarded the IFK outside of the goal area, but did not treat it as misconduct, while the assessor for the match said it was and should have resulted in a send-off for the goalkeeper
USSF answer (July 9, 2010):
If the goalkeeper deliberately parries the ball, which would seem to be the case in this scenario, then the following excerpt from the Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees 2010/2011 applies:
A goalkeeper is not permitted to touch the ball with his hand inside his own penalty area in the following circumstances:
• If he handles the ball again after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player.
– The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hands or arms except if the ball rebounds accidentally from him, for example after he has made a save
– Possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately parrying the ball,
• If he touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate.
• If he touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a thrown-in taken by a team-mateRestart of play
• Indirect free kick from the position where the offense occurred (see Law 13 — Position of Free Kick)
As to your final question regarding DOGSO-H, the answer is emphatically no, because the Law clearly excludes the goalkeeper from being sent off for deliberately handling the ball within his/her penalty area:
• denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
