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Football Officiating => National Federation Discussion => Topic started by: cbrunnjo on August 18, 2011, 09:22:21 AM
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Is it possible to have first touching down field on a Free Kick?
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Define "downfield".
If you are asking if you can have first touching once the ball crosses R's free-kick line, the answer is NO.
2-12-1
During a free kick it is first touching if the ball is touched in the field of play by any K player before it crosses R’s free-kick line and before it is touched there by any R player
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As ITS points out, first touching on a free kick can occur only when the ball is still in the neutral zone. Once the ball is past R's free kick line (or "downfield"), K may recover it.
In coach-speak, "That's a live ball, get on it!". (Google translator provided that for us :) ).
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Got it - for some reason I was thinking that if K tried to jump on ball when it was past the R's restraining line and touched it but did not cover/possess the ball it was first touching since a kick is a kick until possessed.
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Got it - for some reason I was thinking that if K tried to jump on ball when it was past the R's restraining line and touched it but did not cover/possess the ball it was first touching since a kick is a kick until possessed.
It's only first touching if K touches a ball they can't legally possess. Otherwise it's simply a muff.
But you're right in thinking that the kick still hasn't ended.
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Got it - for some reason I was thinking that if K tried to jump on ball when it was past the R's restraining line and touched it but did not cover/possess the ball it was first touching since a kick is a kick until possessed.
The term 'first touching' isn't entirely felicitous, as your case points out. K touches the ball, and they touch it first, but it's not first touching! Oh well.