"Denial of a Goal Scoring Opportunity"

quote:

---

I think sending a player off for almost any foul in the box is excessive and ruins the game.

---

Most fouls in the box aren't sendoffs. Just ones where it's the last man.

A DOaGSO does include last man takedowns.

quote:

---

It does not have to be an obvious goal that the defender takes away, just an opportunity.

---

I pulled that text out of the FIFA rulebook. They use the word "obvious".

I would also venture to say that since the ball ended up in the net that it would have to be considered a goal scoring opportunity, but seems like the rules are open to interpretation, so who really knows what that means.

That's usually what it comes down to.

Hahah that's moronic alright, he was inside the penalty box when he scored, not quite a Xabi Alonso wonder strike from midfield.

Well he was fouled way before he was in the box. And again how many times is the ball in the box and a goal not scored? Way more times than a goal does occur

They aren't going to, and the laws of the gane are intentionally vague. In practice, you risk getting sent off whenever you foul an attacker who would be in on goal. In soccer, the interpretation of the law is the only thing that really matters.

quote:

---

I'm bumping this thread for another example. Thiago Motta of PSG was sent off against Marseille for this foul . FIFA really needs to clarify this rule.

---

I haven't seen the EPL examples mentioned but in the leagues I watch more often the DOAGSO calls are usually pretty consistent considering the degree of judgement usually involved.

I'm almost certain that the Thiago Motta red card was for "dangerous play" and not DOAGSO (which I think was a bad call, nonetheless, as it probably should have been a yellow instead of straight red). Same call in essence as Nani against Real Madrid in the CL last year.

I agree that the rule, as written, is vague considering that the vast majority of cynical fouls are made to thwart "goal scoring opportunities".


However, the precedent of the rule, as I've always understood it, seems pretty clear: an "obvious goal scoring opportunity" refers quite specifically to a player getting past the last defender for a 1 on 1 with the GK or getting past the GK and nothing more.

It's any foul in this situation that is a straight red.


It doesn't refer, for example, to a 4 on 2 breakaway where a cynical foul by one of the last 2 defenders destroys the chance if there's still another defender behind the ball to be dealt with.

The problem may be more that some officials are either too eager or reluctant to make the call according to the established precedent.

quote:

---

Which foul was the one in question? I think the first foul probably could have been a red card. The second should not be a red card.

---

The first foul -- where Motta loses the ball and tries to clear but a Marseilles player gets the touch first and Motta catches him in his follow through -- is the one that drew red.

Like I said above though, I'm fairly sure the red card was shown for dangerous play and not denial of a goal scoring opportunity.