DOGSO, or denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, is a call that referees often have to make within modern football, determining whether a defender has denied a blatant opportunity for an attacker to score. Of course, with this comes controversy, as while there are criteria for what constitutes a DOGSO, it is up to the match’s referee to determine whether these points have been met.

DOGSO incidents can be fairly controversial, particularly in the game today. With the relatively recent introduction of the Video Assistant Referee, or VAR, referees can go back to potential DOGSO’s that they might have missed, though this leads onlookers to wonder whether the chance was a true goal-scoring opportunity if the referee did not initially blow for one. Still, with all of this being considered, it is worth asking; just what actually is the DOGSO rule?

What is DOGSO?

DOGSO stands for “denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity,” a title which is fairly self-explanatory for what it serves to represent. DOGSO is often said by referees if an attacker is close to breaking through the defence but is fouled, or if the last man of a team’s defence pulls down an attacker that would otherwise be through on goal with a chance of scoring.

Any instances of DOGSO occur if a player commits an offence against somebody of the opposing team that denies them a clear chance to score a goal. If there was an attempt to play, or challenge for, the ball, then the referee usually cautions the offender, but in any other circumstance, such as holding a shirt or tackling with no possibility of reaching the ball, then the offender “must be sent off” according to the FA’s official rules on the matter.

Not only that, but players must be dismissed if ever they use their hand to prevent a goal, or goal-scoring opportunity, unless, of course, they play in goal. If this handball is accidental, however, then the offender is cautioned rather than shown their marching orders.

What is considered with DOGSO?

As with any other refereeing decision, observing whether there has been a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity can be relatively subjective, depending on what the referee feels they have seen. With that considered, however, there are at least five main points that officials should look at when deciding whether a DOGSO has been committed.

• Distance between the offence and the goal - A fairly obvious and expected part of the decision process, but how close was the foul and potential DOGSO to the goal that the fouled party were aiming to score in?
• General direction of play - Play, more often than not, should be towards the opponent’s goal if a team suffers a potential denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. Are they playing towards the goal they’re aiming to score in, or is the ball going backwards?
• “Likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball” - An important rule, as it ensures that teams can not simply launch the ball forward and see an opposing player be dismissed for any version of a foul. Is the ball, realistically, going to be gained and controlled by the attacking player or not? If not, then DOGSO does not necessarily need to be considered.
• Location - Keeping in line with the aforementioned rule regarding play’s general direction, a DOGSO is dictated by the position on the pitch where it takes place. If a player is deep within his own half when fouled, it can scarcely be considered a goal-scoring opportunity.
• Number of defenders - Alongside the location at which the potential DOGSO takes place, the number of defenders that surround the incident also have to be considered. If a player is fouled with five opposing defenders around him, then chances are he would not have broken through. If it was just one, however, that chance is far more likely.

DOGSO calls this season

In the current season alone, there have been a handful of DOGSO calls being given by referees in the Premier League. Perhaps the most well known one thus far came when William Saliba was dismissed against Bournemouth. Met with rage by Arsenal fans, the French defender was played into trouble by a sloppy pass backwards from Leandro Trossard.

Being pressured by Bournemouth’s record signing Evanilson, signed to replace Dominic Solanke who left for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, Saliba fouled the Brazilian just after he crossed the half-way line. Were it not for Saliba, the striker would have had a clear run on goal and so the defender was given his marching orders.

Not every example of a potential DOGSO has led to a red card, however. Earlier this season, when Crystal Palace hosted Spurs in what would be their first win of the season, winning 1-0 courtesy of a Jean-Philippe Mateta strike in the first half, they could have doubled their lead through Ismaila Sarr. The winger, formerly of Watford and Marseille, charged down a long ball forward and was pursued by Micky van de Ven, who brought Sarr down but was only shown a yellow card for his offence.

There have also been instances in which DOGSO has been inconsistently applied within the same game. When Leicester City travelled to Southampton, they staged a remarkable comeback to win 3-2 having been 2-0 down at half time. Their equalising goal was a penalty converted by Jamie Vardy, who had seen his shirt pulled by Ryan Fraser in the box which led to the Scotsman being sent off.

The confusing aspect comes when you consider that, just moments before Leicester’s penalty, Southampton swung a corner into the box for target man Paul Onuachu, who was having his shirt pulled by a City defender in much the same way as Fraser was pulling Vardy’s. Strangely, though, there was no penalty given.