The International Football Association Board is proposing a new rule that would see referees award the opposition a corner if a goalkeeper holds onto the ball for longer than the designated time limit.
Reports suggest that under the proposed change, referees will raise their hand to signal a countdown from five seconds to zero, warning goalkeepers of their time constraint.
This rule modification, aimed at curbing time-wasting tactics by goalkeepers, has already been trialed successfully in the Premier League’s under-21 competition.
If a similar trial in Italy’s under-20 league proves effective in preventing goalkeepers from unnecessarily delaying the game, the rule is expected to be implemented across the sport.
Currently, goalkeepers are usually only booked if the referee determines they are holding the ball deliberately to run down the clock.
REPORTER: SAMUEL ADELEKE, ADBN NEWS.
