Question Number: 23680

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/17/2010

Walt Heatherly of Hendersonville, TN USA asks...

I have a question in reference to the US Soccer 'Referee Week in Review' piece on http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Referee-Programs/2010/07/2010-Referee-Week-In-Review-15.aspx . My question is about the principle of DOGSO. The video clip that US Soccer uses illustrates the use of advantage perfectly; however I was wondering about what the decision would have been if the scenario had changed. If the attacking player had instead had a 2 on 1 break and been pulled down from behind and his other attacker had picked up the ball at the top of the penalty area and scored, would the defender who committed the foul be punished with a red card or merely a caution? The reason I ask is because US Soccer uses a quote from FIFA that says,'If the referee applies advantage during an obvious goal scoring opportunity and a goal is scored DIRECTLY, despite the opponents handling the ball or fouling an opponent, the player cannot be sent off but he may still be cautioned.' Now from this quote I fail to understand the meaning of one word. 'DIRECTLY'. If the player being fouled doesn't score the goal then can the defender still be sent-off?
I realize that I have asked many more than 1 question in this quick bit, but I hope that I have been clear in all of them. Thank you and I appreciate all that you people do for the game.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Heatherly
If a goal has been scored or indeed if the referee plays advantage and does not go back to the original offence the player cannot be dismissed for denying on obvious goal scoring opportunity. The reason for this is that the opportunity has not been denied. The player can still be cautioned for unsporting behaviour.
In this clip I believe that the offence did not interfere with the player's opportunity to score a goal and IMO I would have allowed play to continue through advantage and I may have cautioned the defender for USB. I could not have sent the player off for a DOGSO unless I stopped play to award a DFK for the pulling or I went back to that DFK situation.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

If a defender hasn't prevented a goal within the same sequence of play - and the ball going to a teammate of the fouled player who then scores is in the same sequence - then a goal has not been denied, and a sending off would be wholly inappropriate. A caution would be appropriate, and the defender should be grateful he hasn't left his team short a man.

USSF has gone back and forth on this over the last six or so years, but the above is the current and most logical approach. It allows the referee the greatest leeway to do what is best for the game at hand.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

In this context, 'directly' means that if any member of the team scores a goal within the same sequence of play. For most situations, this means the referee should wait and see what happens for the next two to three seconds.

A goal scoring 'opportunity' relates to the team, not just an individual player. Thus, when the ball kicks out to a teammate after a foul, the team's scoring opportunity will be fulfilled (not denied) if the teammate scores.