Small Sided Football - Laws of the Game

The Goal Clearance

A goal clearance is a method of restarting play.

A goal may not be scored directly from a goal clearance.

The goal clearance is awarded when:

• the whole of the ball, having last touched a player of the attacking team, passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10

Procedure

• opponents remain outside the penalty area
• the goalkeeper does not play the ball a second time until it has touched another player
• the ball is in play when the ball is thrown or kicked from any point within the penalty area by the goalkeeper of the defending team

Infringements/Sanctions

If the ball is not thrown or kicked directly beyond the penalty area:

• the goal clearance is retaken

If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper touches the ball, before it has touched another player:

• an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team from the penalty area line from the place nearest to where the infringement occurred

If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper picks the ball up after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team mate: 

• an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be from the penalty area line from the place nearest to where the infringement occurred
• Competition rules may allow variations to this ruling allowing goalkeepers to receive the ball straight from a team mate.