LAWS OF THE GAME
direct free kickBeing awarded a Direct Free Kick within range of the opponent's goal can be used to our advantage if done quickly. Being awarded a DFK is by rule our advantage; however, catching the opposing team unaware of our intentions can be a cause for a couple goals in a season and a lesson in staying alert.
1) When awarded a Direct Free Kick within range of the opponents goal we need to immediately set the ball and shoot! 2) We do not ask for distance as the opposing player(s) who tries to keep us from playing quickly should, by rule, be given a caution (yellow). Law 13.3 ...an opponent who deliberately prevents a free kick being taken quickly must be cautioned for delaying the restart of play. The actions of the Referee are very important to pulling this off. The Referee should indicate where the foul happened and back off allowing for a quick restart. Only when an opponent keeps us from playing quickly or we ask for distance does the Referee then intervene and stop play. Some Referees have shown they do not know this law as well as they should. Some actions taken by Referees during the last season have been... ...Allowing the opponent to build a wall. ...Allowing the opponent to delay the restart with issuing a caution. ...Denying us a quick restart and counting off the 10 yards without us asking for distance. (The Referee realized he was wrong and blamed our player for asking for distance) The opposing team does not get the time to build a wall. It is during the confusion of the opposing team trying to organize a defense that the shot is taken! |