Question Number: 23885

Law 5 - The Referee 9/8/2010

RE: competitive High School

lewrith of georgetown, indiana usa asks...

If the goalie is hit and injured (by an opposing player), while going after a ball in the box, but the ref doesn't see that the goalie is down until the ball is back down the field, who would have possession after the goalie change.

Hope this makes sense.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Lewrith, we need a little more detail here to determine the restart.
If the play was stopped because the goalie was injured, then it is a drop ball from where the ball was when play was stopped (except for Law 8).
If the play was stopped because of a foul on the goalie, the defenders have a free kick from their penalty area.
If the play was stopped for any other reason like throw-in, corner, offside, end of half etc, then the play is restarted the way it normally would for that stoppage,

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Lewrith
The answer is unique to High School soccer. The team that is in clear possession of the ball is awarded an indirect free kick from where play was stopped.
Clearly that does not apply in USSF /FIFA games.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

In NFHS games, if play is stopped for an injury, the team in possession of the ball gets an IDFK. But you don't tell us why or when play was stopped. If the ball went over the touchline for example then the team that didn't last touch the ball would get the throw