Preamble:
IN last week’s edition I explained how a game is put back into play (Law 15: The Throw-In) when the whole of the ball crosses the “touch-line” either on the ground or in the air.
Today I am going to deal with how a game is restarted when the whole of the ball crosses the “goal-line” either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the attacking team, and a goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10; the Method of Scoring.
If the whole of the ball goes out of play in the foregoing circumstance, the ball is kicked back into play by a player of the defending team from any point within the goal-area. Hence, called the “Goal-Kick”, which is the theme for today’s edition.
While the Off-Side judgement is particularly the responsibility of the Assistant Referees, the responsibility for indicating that the ball has crossed the goal-line and that a goal-kick should be awarded is shared by the Referee and each Assistant Referee.
Whenever an Assistant Referee signals the ball out of play, he must retain the signal until acknowledged by the Referee.
The Goal-Kick:
A goal-kick is a method of restarting play. A goal-kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goal-line, either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the attacking team, and a goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10.
A goal may be scored directly from a goal-kick but only against the opposing team.
Procedure:
*  The ball is kicked from any point within the goal-area by a player of the defending team.
* Opponents remain outside the penalty-area until the ball is in play.
*  The kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player.
*  The ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty-area.
Infringements and Sanctions:
If the ball is not kicked directly out of the penalty-area from a goal-kick:
* The goal-kick is retaken.
Goal-kick taken by a player other than the goal-keeper:-
If, after the ball is in play, the kicker touches the ball again (except with his hands) before it has touched another player:
* An indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred, unless the infringement occurred inside the goal-area, in which case the kick is taken on the goal-area line parallel to the goal-line at a point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
If, after the ball is in play, the kicker deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
* A direct free-kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
* A penalty-kick is awarded if the infringement occurred inside the kicker’s penalty-area.
If, the goal-kick is taken by either the goal-keeper or other player crosses the goal-line without having left the penalty-area:
* The goal-kick is retaken.
Goal-kick taken by the goal-keeper:
If, after the ball is in play, the goal-keeper touches the ball again (except with his hands) before it has touched another player:
* An indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred, unless the infringement occurred inside the goal-area, in which case the kick is taken on the goal-area line parallel to the goal-line at a point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
If, after the ball is in play, the goal-keeper deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
* A direct free-kick is awarded to the opposing team if the infringement occurred outside the penalty-area, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
* An indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposing team if the infringement occurred inside the goal-keeper’s own penalty-area, unless the infringement occurred inside the goal-keeper’s own goal-area, in which case the kick is taken on the goal-area line parallel to the goal-line at a point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
If, an opponent enters the penalty-area before the ball is in play and plays the ball before it leaves the penalty-area:
* The goal-kick is retaken.
If an opponent enters the penalty-area before the ball is in play and is fouled by a defender:
* The goal-kick is retaken and the defender may be cautioned or sent-off depending on the nature of the offence.
In the event of any other infringement of this Law:- The goal-kick is retaken. chileshe_mukuka@yahoo.co.uk or 0966/0978 759558.