Be the Referee: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management

September 2, 2026

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen

We’re on the soccer field today, and the home team has the ball and is on the attack.

The ball makes it around to a forward from the home team, who is on-side and within the penalty area. His shot just misses – going wide for a goal kick.

However, just after the ball crossed the goalline, a player from the away team tackles the home team forward with excessive force.

What’s the call?

Because excessive force was used, it’s a red card for the away team player, which is an automatic ejection. But because it happened after the ball crossed the goalline and not at the time of the shot, it’s still a goal kick for the away team, not a penalty kick for the home team.

Previous 2026-27 editions

Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen

Officiate Michigan Day Goes Virtual for 2021

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

August 3, 2021

The first two Officiate Michigan Day events in 2013 and 2018 gave hundreds of Michigan game officials opportunities to come together for education and camaraderie, something tough to replicate for an Officiate Michigan Day III to be hosted virtually this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But a series of 26 views posted to the MHSAA's YouTube feed this week instead already have been watched nearly 1,400 times, with the ability to reach hundreds more dedicated to honing their craft. 

As in years past, these OMD videos offer speakers and panel discussions and address general officiating topics and also sport-specific subjects. Below is the first of those 26 videos, addressing associations and helping officials reach their goals. Or, click for the playlist in its entirety: Officiate Michigan Day.