15 minute stop to check the Laws of the Game

Referees, always make sure have the number of the FA office in your cellphone, just in case you forgot the latest changes in the football rules.

The Dutch women’s match between Odysseus’91 and Wartburgia on second amateur level was stopped for at least fifteen minutes, because referee Nielen was not sure he made the right decision. He awarded a penalty kick for the away team. The taker shot the ball on the post and after that she kicked the ball into the net.

Nielen’s decision: no goal, because a player can’t touch the ball twice after a free kick or penalty kick. But the Wartburgia assistant referee (Dutch system only has refereeing trio’s from the FA at highest levels) said the rules had been changed, so the goal should count.

Nielen doubted and made a call to the KNVB, the Dutch FA, and after fifteen minutes he got his answer: correct decision. “Fortunately, I did”, said a happy referee afterwards to Duch newspaper de Volkskrant.