Soccer Rules Practice Exam 2025 - Free Soccer Rules Practice Questions and Study Guide

"Time wasting" in soccer refers to the intentional action taken by players or teams to prolong the duration of the match, often to maintain a lead or take away time from the opposing team. This can involve various tactics, such as taking excessive time to perform throw-ins, goal kicks, or free kicks, feigning injuries, or taking long pauses during stoppages in play. By doing so, the team that is ahead on the scoreboard aims to run down the clock, which can be particularly emphasized in the final minutes of a match.

While other options may relate to tactics or actions taken during the game, none of them embody the notion of deliberately stretching out the time in the game as "time wasting" does. For instance, playing defensively can be a strategy for protecting a lead, but it does not directly correlate with delaying the match itself. Similarly, restarting play quickly after a stoppage or making substitutions are actions that do not fit the definition of prolonging the match; instead, they contribute to maintaining the flow of the game.