WEDNESDAY, 12.30PM:
THE FEDERATION of International Football Associations’ (Fifa) newly introduced rules will come into effect at the Iwisa Charity Soccer Spectacular on Saturday. The Premier Soccer League’s referees boss, Errol Sweeney, said on Tuesday: “We are reminding referees, clubs and the public that Fifa introduced the rules at the World Youth Championships last month”.
The rules that changed last season and will come into effect include: An indirect free kick is to be awarded if a goalkeeper handles the ball after receiving it direct from a throw-in by a teammate; The goalkeeper may move on his goal line, but not forward, before the ball is kicked from the penalty spot; The ball is in play as soon as it moves from a kick-off or from a goal kick; A goal may be scored direct from the kick-off or from a goal kick; If a goalkeeper holds the ball longer than five or six seconds, the referee must award an indirect free-kick for time-wasting; Referees must strictly apply the four-step rule for goalkeepers, under Law 12. Sweeney said no decision has been taken on the suggestion that back passes to the goalkeeper “by any part of the body” be outlawed.
Kaizer Chiefs play Mamelodi Sundowns in the first semi-final on Saturday and Orlando Pirates meet Moroka Swallows at noon in the second semi-final. The final will be played at 4.15pm.