foosball.com :

1. what is the definition of a legal goal? isn't a legal goal one that is scored cleanly without touching any opponents players? thanks. (no)
Vilasack T.

1b. Sorry for the repeated emails, but if slops count (yes) then why all the intricate rules on passing, etc?
Vilasack T

2. I have a question about is considered a legal goal. Does the ball have to go in clean without hitting objects (no) on the way to the goal, and can you score with the fiveman? (yes) I have heard many different rules and would like the official ones.
Jeffrey E. M.

3. My friends and i have a question regarding foosball rules. We are currently stationed at McMurdo Station Antarctica, yes antarctica (cold) and we are getting ready to have a tournament down here.
The question we have regards when a goal is allowed and when it is not allowed. Some say it is allowed only when it is completely clean-meaning if the goalie gets a piece of it but it still goes in the goal it does not count. (wrong) they say there are no bank shots (wrong) and that the ball can not touch a single player before going into the goal before it counts. (wrong) So the question is: Is the goal allowed if any of the deffensive players/goalie touch the ball or if it goes off of a wall? (yes) Another question is: Is the five-man rod allowed to score. (yes) I know they can not score on first touch on the serve (wrong) but are they or arent they allowed to score during the match? (yes)
Thank you for your time.
Nathan E., McMurdo Station, Antarctica

4. Hello, My name is stephen e. I am an avid foosball player. I was wondering though. What happens if the ball goes in the goal and then pops out. (It is a point!) DOes it still count or does the ball stay in play.
Thanks,
Stephen E.
4b. If the ball were to go in the goal the come out right away, does it count as a goal?
Dane S. (Same question)

Answer

A legal goal is one that goes into the goal without the scoring team breaking any rules, like spinning or distraction etc. Any ball that goes into the goal (even if it comes back out of the goal), when a rule is not broken, counts, clean or sloppy, 3-bar, 5-bar, goalie bar, bank shot, makes no difference. It goes in, you count it, GOAL, GOAL, GOAL... Think about the arguments that would happen if the teams had to decide was the goal sloppy or clean? No way to do it, so if it goes in, it is a goal.

The official rules area on this: http://www.foosball.com/content.php?page=90#pointscored

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