After a throw-in has been taken, the ball enters the penalty area, bounces off the ground, and a defender deliberately touches it with the arm. The referee notices a handball offence and immediately blows the whistle, even though the ball has gone to an attacker who takes a shot just after the whistle was blown. What is the decision if the ball enters the goal?

Question

Accepted Answer

The referee should wait a few seconds to allow a possible advantage to develop. However, as play has been stopped by the referee, the ball was out of play when the goal was scored so it cannot be awarded. In this case, play is restarted with a penalty kick for the handball offence and, depending on the exact situation, any appropriate disciplinary action.