As www.islandstats.com reported yesterday, we continue to bring you our viewers the changes from the International Football Association Board (ifab) which came in over the summer - you may have seen some of them if you were following the Women's World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations or Copa America.
When a defending team has three or more players in a wall, the attacking team can no longer place a player in or next to it.
If an attacker is standing within one yard (1m) of the wall when the kick is taken, they will be penalized with an indirect free-kick.
However, Spain found a bit of a loophole in the Women's World Cup, as they placed a wall of their own in front of South Africa's before moving at the last moment.
Another change means - similar to the goal-kick change above - if a defending team takes a free-kick in their own area, the ball is considered in play immediately and does not have to leave the box before another player touches it. Again, opponents must remain outside the box.
If the referee is about to show a yellow or red card but the non-offending team takes a quick free-kick and creates a scoring chance, the official can come back and show the card when the ball goes out of play.
Before now, the card would have to be shown before the free-kick could be taken.
However, if the referee had distracted the offending team by starting to show the card, the quick free-kick is not allowed.
Also if the offence was going to be a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but the opposition take a quick free-kick, then the player will only be booked because the other team are considered to have restarted their attack.
The laws have changed concerning what goalkeepers can do for penalties.
The penalty kick cannot be taken while the goalkeeper is touching the woodwork or nets - or if the net or posts are still moving after being touched.
The goalkeeper must have one of his/her feet partly on the goalline (or above it if jumping) when the kick is taken. He or she cannot stand behind or in front of the line.
There were several instances of retakes being ordered for that offence in the Women's World Cup, most notably one that cost Scotland a place in the knockout stages.
The other change to penalties means an attacker can take a penalty if he needed treatment (as long as the treatment is quick).
Before now, a player would have to go off the field until after the kick was taken if he needed medical help.
A player who is being substituted must leave the pitch by the nearest point on the touchline or bye line - unless the referee says they can leave quickly at the halfway line - or elsewhere for safety or injury reasons.
This change is to stop players time-wasting. Any player who "infringes the spirit of this law" will be booked for unsporting behavior.
However most substitutions in the Women's World Cup saw players come off at the same point their replacement was coming on.
A team official guilty of misconduct can be shown a yellow card or red card. If the offender cannot be identified, the senior coach in the technical area at the time will receive the card.
That new system was trailed in the EFL during the 2018-19 season and is now being introduced worldwide.
A player can now be booked for celebrating - for removing his shirt or celebrating with the fans - even if the goal is disallowed.
The team that wins the pre-match coin toss can now choose whether to take the kick-off or which goal to attack - previously they could only choose which goal to attack.
There is now a difference between cooling breaks (90 seconds to three minutes) and drinks breaks (maximum of one minute) in certain competitions played in high humidity and temperatures.
Multi-colored or patterned undershirts are allowed if they are the same as the sleeve of the main shirt.
|