Question:
What happens if the goal is shifted off the line (away from the field of play) and this allows a ball to enter the goal that otherwise would not have done so? Does it matter whether the defending team or the attacking team moves the goal? Does it matter if it is intentional or not? The specific situation being questioned is that a corner kick became trapped between a defender’s body and the post, and when the defender tried to move the ball away, the post shifted back and the ball dropped into the goal. The referee awarded a goal.
Answer (August 7, 2007):
Unfair as it may seem, the referee should not have awarded the goal–nor should he or she have started the game with an unsecured goal. The game must be restarted with a dropped ball at the nearest place on the goal area line six yards out from the goal line and parallel to it.
