Question:
This is our son’s first year to play goalie, and in his last game there were some questionable calls. If a goalie dives on a ball, and when he lands on it his foot crosses the goal line, but the ball never does it that a goal? This happened twice during the game, and the refs called them goals.
USSF answer (September 15, 2008):
There are way too many inventive referees out there! This is the second question we have had this week on this topic and the answer is the same in all cases of this nature: It is not the location of the goalkeeper’s body, arms, or feet and legs that matters; it is the location of the ball. If the ball has completely crossed the entire width of the goal line, between the goal posts and beneath the crossbar, then it is a goal. Body parts are unrelated to the scoring of a goal.
You may flourish this response under the eyes of the next referee who does this.
