Question Number: 23761

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 8/11/2010

RE: Competitive High School

James of Beaverton, Oregon USA asks...

On a Penalty Kick - if the ball doesn't cross the whole of the goal line but does hit the left then the right cross bar, it it a goal?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Referee James, you have to know the only way a goal may be scored is set out in Law 10:

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between
the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the
Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the
goal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi James
A penalty kick is no different from any other part of play in that all of the ball must cross the goal line between the goapost and under the crossbar for a goal to be scored. If there is any doubt about this the goal sshould not be awarded.
Normally if the ball hits a cross bar and post or post to post there is every chance that the ball did not wholly cross the line and no goal has been scored.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

James, are you asking us if a goal can be scored without the ball crossing the goal line or are you asking us if it is a goal if the ball crosses the goal line AFTER it hit both uprights? Since I cannot believe that you are asking if a goal can be scored without the ball crossing the line, I will answer you by saying that provided the ball is being propelled from the force of the kick from the penalty mark it can ping pong around hitting the uprights, crossbar and even the goalie it would still be counted as a goal provided it crossed the goal line.