A&H

Challenging a GK's Punt

NOVARef

Active Member
So a GK was going to punt the ball. The opponent deliberately moves toward the keeper and jumps into the path of the punt and blocks the punt. The rebound goes backward and out of bounds. I could have sworn that this was an automatic yellow, but, after reviewing the Law 12, I don't see it listed as an automatic yellow or listed under unsporting behavior. Any help on the rules of this.
 
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It's one of those common misconceptions that it's an automatic caution, but it's not.

However it's often an easy caution for USB. Typically the player that offends is trying to do it to stop the keeper from starting a fast counter attack often after a set piece when some of their own defenders have pushed forwards into the box.
 
I could have sworn that this was an automatic yellow

I was guilty of that for a season or two as well.

I usually caution it as it cuts it out for the rest of the game tbh, but most refs I've seen try to do it via having a word. I just want the caution out there, so that if it happens again, usually at 0-1 in the 90+6th minute, I don't get them screaming bloody murder for not cautioning the idiot who did it in the 12th minute.
 
You would typically caution where it becomes dangerous and you therefore class it as reckless. For me that is where the attacker dangles a leg out, as the force keepers drop kick with makes that extremely dangerous if their foot connects with the attacker's studs.
 
It's one of those common misconceptions that it's an automatic caution, but it's not.

However it's often an easy caution for USB. Typically the player that offends is trying to do it to stop the keeper from starting a fast counter attack often after a set piece when some of their own defenders have pushed forwards into the box.
Thank you, but how can it be stopping a promising attack if the action isn't a foul in the first place. This is like saying intercepting a through ball is stopping a promising attack, no? The opponent blocked the punt. He didn't foul the keeper. Thanks
 
Thank you, but how can it be stopping a promising attack if the action isn't a foul in the first place. This is like saying intercepting a through ball is stopping a promising attack, no? The opponent blocked the punt. He didn't foul the keeper. Thanks

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Releasing the ball to fly kick it is still considered to be in control of the ball and it is not permitted to challenge them in this case, assuming you deem it a challenge then it's an offence.
 
Thank you, but how can it be stopping a promising attack if the action isn't a foul in the first place. This is like saying intercepting a through ball is stopping a promising attack, no? The opponent blocked the punt. He didn't foul the keeper. Thanks
Read the indirect free kick offences in Law 12 - one of which covers this situation.
 
Also it's not always IDK. Sometimes it's just an intercept of the ball. It's one of those that you'd have to see. Distance from the keeper is a big factor.
 
I thought it used to be in the LOTG as a caution, but couldn't find it. I may have been thinking of the old US Advice to Referees, which included it as an example of USB. (It may have been in the old IFAB Q&A, but I'm not ambitious enough to look back that far.)

IMO, it is often cautionable if it rises to the level of needing to be called. Actively trying to block a punt is a real knucklehead move that can be dangerous and can be designed to intimidate the GK.

I think timing of action is a critical element in deciding if what the player did was a foul in the first place--did he move to block/intercept before the release (likely an offense), or after the release (not an offense)?

The judgment on offense or not on this is similar to evaluating the actions of a player who has not yet retreated 10 yards when the opposing team takes a FK--if that player waits till it is kicked to move and intercept, there is no offense, but if he moves forward before it is taken and intercepts it is generally an offense.
 
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