Better Enjoy the World Cup and Soccer by understanding the Rules (ask questions here)

[SkinsNumberOne]

I got really busy over the weekend, I'm glad there have been so many participants in the meantime. For me personally, I get into World Cup soccer, but outside of that haven't gotten into it. I plan on watching more MLS starting this year though. I've been to SA a lot over the past few years (and met my wife there), so this year's WC has me particularly interested.

Anyway, my knowledge is pretty spotty in places. One thing I haven't yet grasped completely is the concept of "extra time" and most of the time when I ask people they are foreigners, so I don't get things put into typical American football-speak (or I use that language and they have no idea what I'm talking about).

I guess "stoppage time" (the bonus time added at the end of each half) is considered "regulation time" right? Is that appropriate language in soccer vernacular ("regulation" for the 90+ minutes that a game takes), or do they just not use that word? I've gotten a lot of blank looks when I say that, but the people I talked to weren't necessarily really big fans.

Who determines stoppage time? When do the teams know how much stoppage time there will be? This seems to be a big stumbling block for some of my other friends to get more involved in the game, they can't get over the weirdness of the timekeeping.

In soccer terms, "stoppage time" is different from "extra time" (according to Wikipedia here), and yet I've heard a lot of people refer to what Wiki calls "stoppage time" as "extra time" - what is the right term to be used? Wiki seems to say that "Extra time" is more like overtime which takes place in key matches (and will start up in WC soon I think).

*By the way, I usually point out to friends who complain about the timing that even in sports where they stop the clock, there's a ton of inaccuracy and bias claims (like when a team's home timekeeper lets the clock run a little faster or stops it a bit quicker depending on what's going on).

[Spanky22]

Anyway, my knowledge is pretty spotty in places. One thing I haven't yet grasped completely is the concept of "extra time".

Ok, Ill give this one a shot:

Stoppage time - The game clock runs for 90 minutes (45 minute halves) non stop. This means that when players are rolling around on the pitch feigning an ankle injury or celebrating after scoring a goal, the clock is still running. The ref keeps a tally of this time and adds stoppage time on the end of the half to try to account for those minutes lost.

Extra time - Basically it's just overtime. In the opening round of the WC, the games are allowed to end in a tie. In knockout rounds, obviously ties wont work, so they go into extra time (and eventually if no one scores, penalty kicks). I cant remember how World Cup overtime rules work right now (how long the extra time periods are, sudden death or not), so Ill leave that for someone else to fill in. The reason that this is likely confusing you right now is that, at this point in the tourney, there is no extra time (overtime) to determine the winners of a match because ties are still OK.

Hope that helps.

[sjinhan]

now sure if this has been asked.. but why was that Chilian goal nullified for offsides earlier today?

you know the one where 3 of the chilian players were in the offside position but I thought since the guy took a shot on goal.. those players didnt count toward offsides...

[Spanky22]

now sure if this has been asked.. but why was that Chilian goal nullified for offsides earlier today?

you know the one where 3 of the chilian players were in the offside position but I thought since the guy took a shot on goal.. those players didnt count toward offsides...

I havent seen the goal, so Ill register a guess. Since the offsides flag is thrown up as soon as the ball is hit, if the three guys were heading towards the net and where a rebound may have occurred (basically on the way to the ball) than they were offsides, even if the shot went in the goal. You pretty rarely see a guy in an offsides position not get called on it unless they are headed in the opposite direction, away from the goal and the ball, trying to get back onsides and not play the ball.

/didnt see the play, so could be completely wrong

[Chopper Dave]

Ok, Ill give this one a shot:

Stoppage time - The game clock runs for 90 minutes (45 minute halves) non stop. This means that when players are rolling around on the pitch feigning an ankle injury or celebrating after scoring a goal, the clock is still running. The ref keeps a tally of this time and adds stoppage time on the end of the half to try to account for those minutes lost.

Extra time - Basically it's just overtime. In the opening round of the WC, the games are allowed to end in a tie. In knockout rounds, obviously ties wont work, so they go into extra time (and eventually if no one scores, penalty kicks). I cant remember how World Cup overtime rules work right now (how long the extra time periods are, sudden death or not), so Ill leave that for someone else to fill in. The reason that this is likely confusing you right now is that, at this point in the tourney, there is no extra time (overtime) to determine the winners of a match because ties are still OK.

Hope that helps.

Pretty sure that it's straight up extra time with PKs, no golden or silver goal. I think they tried at least one of those at one point and decided against keeping it.

Edit: Come to think of it, it might've been the Euro championship that tried it at some point. I don't remember exactly.

[sjinhan]

I havent seen the goal, so Ill register a guess. Since the offsides flag is thrown up as soon as the ball is hit, if the three guys were heading towards the net and where a rebound may have occurred (basically on the way to the ball) than they were offsides, even if the shot went in the goal. You pretty rarely see a guy in an offsides position not get called on it unless they are headed in the opposite direction, away from the goal and the ball, trying to get back onsides and not play the ball.

/didnt see the play, so could be completely wrong

yeah check out that play.. i thought all 3 players were walking/jogging in the direction opposite of the goal.

[sjinhan]

Pretty sure that it's straight up extra time with PKs, no golden or silver goal. I think they tried at least one of those at one point and decided against keeping it.

they tried it out in the 2002 WC and the countries that got knocked out from the golden goal were up in arms so much that they decided to get rid of it.

[Chopper Dave]

they tried it out in the 2002 WC and the countries that got knocked out from the golden goal were up in arms so much that they decided to get rid of it.

I knew my memory hasn't gotten so bad that I'm now making things up. Thanks.

[renaissance]

I guess "stoppage time" (the bonus time added at the end of each half) is considered "regulation time" right? Is that appropriate language in soccer vernacular ("regulation" for the 90+ minutes that a game takes), or do they just not use that word? I've gotten a lot of blank looks when I say that, but the people I talked to weren't necessarily really big fans.

Who determines stoppage time? When do the teams know how much stoppage time there will be? This seems to be a big stumbling block for some of my other friends to get more involved in the game, they can't get over the weirdness of the timekeeping.

In soccer terms, "stoppage time" is different from "extra time" (according to Wikipedia here), and yet I've heard a lot of people refer to what Wiki calls "stoppage time" as "extra time" - what is the right term to be used? Wiki seems to say that "Extra time" is more like overtime which takes place in key matches (and will start up in WC soon I think).

*By the way, I usually point out to friends who complain about the timing that even in sports where they stop the clock, there's a ton of inaccuracy and bias claims (like when a team's home timekeeper lets the clock run a little faster or stops it a bit quicker depending on what's going on).

Always refer to it as stoppage time or injury time. This will save some confusion.

It's main purpose is to account for the regular "stoppages" of play that occur during a half - on throw ins, subs, corner kicks, free kicks, etc.

The center ref determines the amount of stoppage time to add on to each half. He will then relay this amount to the 4th ref/side judge (the one who holds up the lighted number signs for subs) who will relay the time to the players (and everyone else via the sign). This usually happens around the 43-44th minute, I think.

Stoppage time usually is 1-4 minutes. It's typically just 1 minute if there were no injuries or major time wasting activities that took place in the half. If there was, for example, an injury which required the medical staff to come on to the field and a player to be taken off, then that will add another minute and so on.

The amount of stoppage time is entirely up to the ref's discretion. He decides the indicated amount, but then he can also choose to add some time onto that. So for example, if there is indicated 1 min of stoppage time but someone scores during that time, the ref may not end the game until 1:30 after the original 45 min half. Usually though, barring goals or major issues during stoppage time you'll see the ref call the game within a few seconds of the indicated time. (And they'll never end it before the indicated time is up.)

If someone scores during stoppage time, it goes down in the stats as being scored in the 90th minute.

[SkinsNumberOne]

Hope that helps.

Thanks, it did. Clarified a lot.

The amount of stoppage time is entirely up to the ref's discretion. He decides the indicated amount, but then he can also choose to add some time onto that. So for example, if there is indicated 1 min of stoppage time but someone scores during that time, the ref may not end the game until 1:30 after the original 45 min half. Usually though, barring goals or major issues during stoppage time you'll see the ref call the game within a few seconds of the indicated time. (And they'll never end it before the indicated time is up.)

If someone scores during stoppage time, it goes down in the stats as being scored in the 90th minute.

Excellent detail, especially this last part too (some nuance that I'd be interested to know but would have never known to ask). Thanks.

This is definitely one thing I struggle to explain to fans of other sports. They don't get the time management. It feels a like a lot of referee discretion - but then, in all sports the referee does have a lot of power. I think maybe the power is more obvious (and perhaps consistently felt) in soccer though.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

What is Nick Hornby's appeal?

[ACW]

Quick questions:

1) Free kick=penalty kick, right?

2) Are substitutions permanent (i.e. once substituted for a player is out for the game)? And for that matter, how many subs are allowed/game?

3) Is extra time for each half or just at the end of the 90 min.

Pardon my ignorance :dunce:

[Bliz]

I understand offsides generally. But how close are you allowed to be?

I'm breaking toward a goal as a teammate is about to pass it to me. Draw a line where the last defender is closest to the goal (the back of his foot or whatever). Do I have to be 100% behind that line, or do I have to have one part of my body, even my back foot, behind that line and the rest can be in front?

And yes, this is because of the disallowed goal this morning (watching univision).

[MattFancy]

Quick questions:

1) Free kick=penalty kick, right?

2) Are substitutions permanent (i.e. once substituted for a player is out for the game)? And for that matter, how many subs are allowed/game?

3) Is extra time for each half or just at the end of the 90 min.

Pardon my ignorance :dunce:

1) No. Free kick and penalty kick are two different things. You get a penalty kick if you are fouled in the box. A free kick if you are fouled anywhere else.

2) I know you get 3 subs per game and I think they are permanet.

3) Stoppage time can be added to each half

[sjinhan]

I understand offsides generally. But how close are you allowed to be?

I'm breaking toward a goal as a teammate is about to pass it to me. Draw a line where the last defender is closest to the goal (the back of his foot or whatever). Do I have to be 100% behind that line, or do I have to have one part of my body, even my back foot, behind that line and the rest can be in front?

And yes, this is because of the disallowed goal this morning (watching univision).

i believe it defines as any part of the player's body that can be used to score a goal...

for example.. a toe that is behind the defender.. its offside.... if you got an entire arm behind the defender.. then its not offsides...

[The Evil Genius]

Is it true that Canadians can never be good soccer players because they are taught at a young age not to fall down and cry for their mommy every time they are touched?

:evilg:

[renaissance]

stoppage time, **** yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[China]

I think they should just eliminate offsides altogether. Allow players to cherry pick. Increase scoring. Eliminate not only incorrect offsides calls, but calls caused by the defender pulling away. Force the defensive players to defend and man up.

[sjinhan]

I think they should just eliminate offsides altogether. Allow players to cherry pick. Increase scoring. Eliminate not only incorrect offsides calls, but calls caused by the defender pulling away. Force the defensive players to defend and man up.

but then it would be completely different game...

look at difference between Rugby they play in England compared to Rugby they play Australia

[China]

but then it would be completely different game...

look at difference between Rugby they play in England compared to Rugby they play Australia

That reference is meaningless to me, as I have no idea what the differences are between rugby in England and Australia.

[Elessar78]

It's the difference between Crisp N' Juicy chicken and Boston Market chicken. Essentially both rotisserie chicken, but MAN the Peruvians got something right.

[Southtown]

I stumbled across Freddy Adu's name and realized he's not on the World Cup team. What ever happened to him?

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

I stumbled across Freddy Adu's name and realized he's not on the World Cup team. What ever happened to him?

He got hooked on cocaine and other opiates while in Europe...never been the same since

[China]

Has soccer been played competitively without the offsides rule before? If not, how do you know whether it will be worse? It would be interesting to see it tried in a few trial matches. I would agree that if it is just different then there's no point. The intent of my suggestion was to potentially increase scoring and eliminate some of the errant calls and unnecessary stoppages in action caused by offsides calls.