A defender receives the ball from a team-mate, ‘flicks’ it up with their foot and heads it to their goalkeeper, who bends down to pick it up inside their penalty area. However, as no opponent approaches, the goalkeeper dribbles the ball with their feet and then kicks it upfield. What is the correct decision?

THE DECISION

The referee stops play and cautions (yellow card) the defender, as the player responsible for initiating a deliberate trick to circumvent Law 12, which clearly states that this unsporting behaviour is penalised whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hands. Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to the opposing team where the trick occurred.