APBA Pro Soccer Instructions

INTRODUCTION

APBA Pro Soccer is designed to be statistically accurate in its results, allow for player input, and create a
flow of play that provides ease and enjoyable game play. We have not attempted to reproduce a play-by-play
simulation but have included all facets of soccer and still allow you to complete a full game in less than 1 hour.

We have included a number of optional rules which give the game player more involvement in the game but
the more options you incorporate the more you are affecting the outcome of the game and the accuracy of
the statistics. Your game – your choice!

These instructions are detailed as is the game of soccer. We recommend you read through this manual
before you begin your first game so you understand all the aspects included. Understanding the game will
make it more enjoyable when you play. Have fun!

SOCCER POSITIONS

Each team’s starting lineup will consist of 1 Goalkeeper (GK) and 10 other position players made up of
Forwards (F), Midfielders (M), and Defenders (D). The number of each depends on the formation you
choose to use and which individuals you choose to be in your lineup.

The player’s position is in parenthesis beside their name on the individual player cards. The number of
Forwards, Midfielders and Defenders you have on the field, also known as the pitch, could affect your Team
Defense Rating.

At the beginning of the game select the players that will be in your starting lineup and fill them in on the
score sheet. The location on the score sheet is very instrumental in the play of the game. Your top Offensive
Rated player should be written into the #1 position; 2nd highest Offensive Rated player in the #2 slot, and
so forth until your starting lineup is recorded.

INDIVIDUAL & TEAM CARD RATINGS

Each player in APBA Soccer is rated to simulate their individual abilities and how they perform in a game.
Shown below is a key to the individual player ratings.

Individual Player Ratings:

Player Name (POS) – Name of player (Position played)
Team Name – Name of team
Season – Year/Tournament for which player cards are rated
Hgt – Player’s Height in Meters
Wgt – Player’s Weight in Kilograms
DOB – Player’s Date of Birth and Place of Birth
OR – Offensive Rating (Higher number better – indicates stronger offensive play)
SOG – Shot on Goal Rating (Higher number better – better chance of putting shot on goal)
AST – Assist Rating (Higher number better – better chance of assisting on goal)
PK – Penalty Kick Rating (Higher number better – better chance of putting Penalty Kick on goal)
CK- Corner Kick Rating (A-best rating, C-worst rating- ability to put ball on goal or in play from a
Corner Kick)
FS – Foul Suffered (Higher number better – player more apt to be fouled)
RC/YC/F – Foul Rating (Lower number better – less Red Card or Yellow Card violations)
FC – Foul Committed (Lower number better – player less apt to foul)
INJ – Injury Rating (Lower number better – player less likely to suffer long term injury) - this rating also
indicates which players played more games during the season. The higher the number the less games a
player competed in ie: a rating of 65 means the player was probably only in 1 game that season.
ACT - This column dictates the action of the individual player during the game.

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 Individual Goalkeeper Ratings:
Player Name (POS) – Name of player (Position played)
Team Name – Name of team
Season – Year/Tournament for which player cards are rated
Hgt – Player’s Height in Meters
Wgt – Player’s Weight in Kilograms
DOB – Player’s Date of Birth and Place of Birth
OR – Offensive Rating (Higher number better – indicates stronger offensive play)
SOG – Shot on Goal Rating (Higher number better – better chance of putting shot on goal)
AST – Assist Rating (Higher number better – better chance of assisting on goal)
PK – Penalty Kick Rating (Higher number better – better chance of putting Penalty Kick on goal)
CK- Corner Kick Rating (A-best rating, C-worst rating- ability to put ball on goal or in play from a
Corner Kick)
FS – Foul Suffered (Higher number better – player more apt to be fouled)
RC/YC/F – Foul Rating (Lower number better – less Red Card or Yellow Card violations)
FC – Foul Committed (Lower number better – player less apt to foul)
INJ – Injury Rating (Lower number better – player less likely to suffer long term injury) - this rating also
indicates which players played more games during the season. The higher the number the less games a
player competed in ie: a rating of 65 means the player was probably only in 1 game that season.
ACT - This column dictates the action of the individual player during the game.

Team Ratings:
Team Name - Name of Team
Season - Year/Tournament for which player cards are rated
Home Team Rating - Overall rating of team at home (Higher number better)
Away Team Rating - Overall rating of team away from home (Higher number better)
Home Team Defense - Defensive Rating at home (Higher number better)
Away Team Defense - Defensive Rating away from home (Higher number better)
Home Clutch Points - Clutch points available at home (Higher number better)
Away Clutch Points - Clutch points available away from home (Higher number better)

READING THE DICE

There are 3 methods in which the die can be read to achieve a result in APBA Soccer. These are used at
different times throughout the play of the game.
1. Single Die – whatever number appears on the die is the result used to determine the action.
2. 2-12 Roll – the numbers on the dice are added together giving a 2-12 result to determine the
action. Example: A roll of Red 4; White 3 results in a 7.
3. 11-66 Roll – the Red Die is read first; White Die second giving a result to determine the action.
Example: A roll of Red 4; White 3 results in a 43.

CHOOSING A FORMATION

The first major decision you need to make is what formation you will be aligning your players in to begin
the game. This choice will affect the style of play as well as the Action Chart to be used during the game.
Formations can be changed during the game depending on the situation.

Your options are the following:

1. 4-3-3 – this is the most offensive approach which conversely means the least defensive formation.
When setting up this way your team should control the ball more by passing and dribbling which
will lead to more shots. It also means there are fewer defenders back to protect your goal which
allows for more shot opportunity for your opponent.
2. 4-4-2 – this is the middle of the road formation offensively and defensively. It is still an offensive
approach but more attention is paid to the defensive aspect of the game as well.
3. 4-5-1 – this is the most defensive approach and least offensive. A team playing this style will
greatly decrease the scoring opportunities of their opponent but also limits your chance of scoring.

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This does not dictate the number of players at each position that you are playing. The number of forwards,
midfielders and defensemen in your lineup does have an effect on the Team Defense rating. Forwards have
“1” point value on defense, Midfielders have a “2” point value on defense, and Defensemen have a “3” point
value on defense. Once your lineup is complete total the point value of your team and apply to chart below.

Total Points in Lineup Adjustment to Team Defense
0-15 -2
16-20 -1
21-25 No Change
26-28 +1
29-30 +2

Example: Your lineup consists of 2 Defensemen (6 points), 4 Midfielders (8 points), and 4 Forwards
(5 points) for a total of 18 points. Applying this to the chart would require you to decrease your Team
Defensive Rating by 1.

COMPLETING THE SCORESHEET

The score sheet is very instrumental during the game play in APBA Soccer. One score sheet is used for
each team, Home and Away Teams.

Time Section: Each half of the game is indicated by 90 actions, possible extended play, the extra
period and kicks from the penalty mark if needed during tournament play. The Time Tracker for the
first half is located at the top of the Home Team score sheet and the second half Time Tracker is on the
Away Team score sheet. Actual timing of the game is explained in a future section of the documenta-
tion.

Team Section: In this section the Home and Away Team Name, Team Rating, Team Defense, and
Clutch Points which are found on the league line-up sheet are recorded.

The second part of the Team Section is to record the scoring. The number of goals scored by each team
during the 1st and 2nd Half of Regulation Time or Extra Time are recorded in this section. If Kicks
From Penalty Marks are needed to determine the outcome the number scored are recorded as well.

The final score of a match that has gone extra time but no penalties, i.e. scoreless at the end of regulation
time but one team scored in extra, is expressed “Man United 1, Arsenal 0 aet” (for “after extra time”). 
The final score of a match that went scoreless through extra time and was decided 5-4 on penalties is
expressed “Man U 0, Arsenal 0 aet (5-4 pen).”

Lineup Section: Once you have selected your starting lineup they are listed on the score sheet accord-
ing to their OR (Offensive Rating). The player with the highest OR goes first (regardless of position),
2nd highest OR is recorded next, and so forth until your 10 position players are listed. The Goalkeeper
(GK) is recorded on the line designated by GK. There are two lines for each Offensive Rating slot –
one for the starter and one for a substitute (designated by Sub).

At the same time you choose your starting lineup, you must choose which of your non-starters will dress
as substitutes. Each competition has its own limits on how many subs may be dressed and available. In
the World Cup, it is 12 per team, in the English Premier League and most domestic Cup competitions
it is 5 per team, and in most other domestic and international competitions it is 7 per team. Players not
included in the dressed substitutes list pre-game may not play in the game for any reason.

Ratings Section: These individual ratings are FS (Foul Suffered), FC (Foul Committed), A (Assist),
and I (Injury). This can be recorded two ways depending on your preference. During the play of the
game players are identified numerically to determine these specific actions or occurrences and this
column will be checked to determine which player is affected.

Method 1: Actual ratings – record each individual’s actual rating for each category. Ratings are taken
from the individual player card. Suggested method so recalculations are not needed during game play.

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 Method 2: Numerical order – for the FS, FC, A, and I categories each player is rated from 1-11 with
1 being the highest rated in the category, 2 being the next highest, and so forth until all players have
a rating from 1-11. If this method is chosen ratings will have to be recalculated each time a player
substitution is made during the game.

Game Stats Section: This area is used to tally the individual player actions or results throughout the game.

Categories are:
Shots (Shots Taken)
SOG (Shot on Goal)
GS (Goal Scored)
AST (Assist)
FS (Foul Suffered)
FC (Foul Committed)
YC (Yellow Card Received)
RC (Red Card Received)
CK (Corner Kick Attempted)
OF (Off sides)
PKA (Penalty Kick)
GS (Kicks From Penalty Mark Scored)

Goalkeeper Categories are:

Shots (Shots Taken Against)
SOG (Shots On Goal Against)
GC (Goals Conceded)
Saves (SOGs Stopped)
FS (Foul Suffered)
FC (Foul Committed)
YC (Yellow Card Received)
RC (Red Card Received)
PKA (Penalty Kick Attempted Against)
GC (Kicks From Penalty Mark Conceded)

TIMING OF THE GAME

Soccer is comprised of two (2) 45-minute halves and each half can be extended due to make up for time loss
due to injuries, other play stoppages or wasted time. In APBA each half will consist of 90 actions with each
action simulating 30 seconds of play. The time tracker is at the top of the score sheet and actions should be
marked off as they occur during the game.
1. An Action is considered one of the following:
a. Any time a result is taken from the following charts:
Kick-Off
Goal Kick
GK Throw In
Throw In
Loose Ball
Corner Kick
Direct Kick
Indirect Kick
Defensive Chart
b. Any time a result is taken from a Player Card
2. Extended Play – At the end of the half and the end of the game the referee can add time to the clock
as mentioned previously. Throughout the game play some of the APBA results will give instructions
to add time to the game. This stoppage time must be kept track of and added to the end of the half or
game. Each added minute is equivalent to 2 actions.
3. Extra Time - Before going to penalty kicks to break a tie, two 15-minute extra periods are played. 

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 They are not sudden death; all 30 minutes are played, and the results are added to the annotated final
score. The break at 15 is to change ends, and a new coin flip precedes the first of these.  Penalty kicks
are then invoked only if still tied. 

OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE ZONE EXPLANATION

Areas A, B, C, D, E, and F are offensive zones while Area X is the defensive zone. The key item to remem-
ber is anytime there is a change of possession and an area is not designated as to where the ball is advanced
the team takes over in Area X. This will normally occur when a Header or Block occurs in the offensive
zone or after a Loose Ball check is made and the defensive team gains possession. The team will begin their
offensive action in Area X. Example: On a Header-D a Loose Ball check is made. If the team who was on
offense gains possession they will do so in Area D; if the defensive team gains possession it will be in Area X.

PLAYING THE GAME

A coin toss is held at the beginning of the match. The winning team decides which goal it will attack in the
1st half of the match (no affect in the APBA game). The opposing team starts the match with a kick-off.
The 2nd half is started by a kick-off by the team that won the coin toss. Teams also change ends at the
beginning of the 2nd half (no affect in the APBA game). To determine the result of the coin toss consult
the Coin Toss/Dropped Ball Chart.

COIN TOSS PROCEDURE

1. Roll both dice, get an 11-66 result, and apply to the Coin Toss chart.
2. A roll of 11-36 gives the result of Home which means the Home Team won the toss so they
choose a goal to attack (no affect in APBA) and will Kick-Off at the beginning of the 2nd half.
The Away Team starts the game with a Kick-Off.
3. A roll of 41-66 gives the result of Visitor which means the Visiting Team won the toss so they
choose a goal to attack (no affect in APBA) and will Kick-Off at the beginning of the 2nd half.
The Home Team starts the game with a Kick-Off.

A Kick-Off is how soccer starts or restarts play at the start of a match, after a goal has been scored, at
the start of the 2nd half or at the start of each period of extra time. Once you have determined the coin
toss and which team will kick-off you must consult the Kick-Off Chart. This chart will indicate what
offensive area of the field the kick-off has landed.

KICK-OFF CHART PROCEDURE

1. Roll both dice and add them together for a 2-12 result, and refer to the Kick-Off Chart which
shows what offensive area (B, D, E, F) of the field the kick-off has landed.
2. Once the offensive area has been established you must determine which player has gained
control of the ball by consulting the Player Control Chart.

PLAYER CONTROL CHART

1. Roll both dice, get an 11-66 result, and refer to the Player Control Chart.
2. Applying the result under the appropriate column (Area ball is in) indicates the player gaining
control of ball (Player Column).
3. Go to the Action Procedure of the game.

Example of Beginning the Game Sequence:

Step 1: Home Team wins the Coin Toss after a dice roll of 23 is applied to the Coin Toss Chart
which means the Visiting Team will Kick-Off.
Step 2: The Visiting Team rolls both dice for a total of 9 and applies it to the Kick-Off Chart
which gives a result of D. This means the ball has landed in Area D of the field.
Step 3: Both dice are rolled again with the result being 3 (Red Die) and 4 (White Die) for a

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 result of 34. Applying this result under Column D (Area ball landed in from kickoff ) the player
gaining control of the ball is Player #4 as shown under the Player Column of the chart. Player 4
is the 4th player listed on the score sheet under the Visiting Team Lineup column.
Step 4: Go to Action Procedure

ACTION PROCEDURE

Once it has been determined which player has the ball that team is on the offensive. Roll the dice read
the Red Die first and the White Die second to get an 11-66 result. The resulting number is applied to the
player’s individual card under the (ACT)ion Column. This number will then be applied to the appropriate
Action Chart.

The Action Chart used is determined by the formation the defensive team has decided to use a 4-3-3, a
4-4-2, or a 4-5-1, indicated as the main heading at the top of the chart. The Action Chart is separated into
3 sections which correspond with the formation options. The section used to determine the action is the
formation the offensive team has chosen.

The possible actions are:

(S)hot – Player takes a shot in an attempt to score a goal.
Letter (A-X) Number (1-10) – Player passes the ball to a teammate.
(DEF)ense – Defensive team makes a play.
(H)eader Letter (A-X) – Player heads the ball to a specific area of the field.
(OB) – Player’s attempted pass goes Out of Bounds.
(OFF)sides - Players attempted pass is Off sides
(FC) – Player commits a foul.
(FS) – Player is fouled.
(SP) – Special Action occurs

To determine which of the actions has occurred roll the dice and get an 11-66 result (red die first, white die
second) and apply to the individual player card. This will result in a number in the range of 1-50. Cross
check this number and the area the ball is in to arrive at one of the above actions.

SHOT RESOLUTION
When a shot occurs it is not necessarily on goal. The shot is resolved in the following steps.
1. Roll both die to get an 11-66 result. If the result is less than or equal to the player’s SOG Rating
then the shot is on goal and a Save Attempt must be made by the Goalkeeper.
2. If the result is greater than the player’s SOG Rating the shot misses the net and a check must be
made on the Missed Shot Chart.

Missed Shot Chart

When a Missed Shot occurs make a 2-12 Dice Roll and apply to the Missed Shot Chart and follow
the instructions.

Adjustments to player’s SOG Rating (OPTIONAL):

1. Increase or Decrease the SOG Rating according to the area the shot is taken from.
2. Area F: -5
3. Area E: -3
4. Area D: No Adjustment
5. Area C: +1
6. Area B: +3
7. Area A: +5

Increase player’s SOG Rating by the AST Rating of the player who passed the ball to the kicker
according to the chart below.
1. AST Rating 0-2: No Adjustment

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2. AST Rating 3-5: +1
3. AST Rating 6-8: +2
4. AST Rating 9 or more: +3

IMPORTANT NOTE: When increasing or decreasing the SOG Rating the adjustment is not just
added or subtracted from the rating; it is moved incrementally on the card. On an 11-66 result
the 36 possibilities are not in numerical order by units. For example: If the SOG Rating is 16
and you need to increase it by 1; the next result is actually 21 not 17. This will occur frequently
when calculating the adjustments.

The Conversion Charts can help you when making adjustments to the SOG Rating. If the final
adjustment is positive you will consult the CONVERSION CHART - PLUS conversely if the final
adjustment is negative you will consult the CONVERSION CHART – MINUS.

• Plus example: If your player’s SOG is 26 and your final adjustment is +3 you would consult
the Conversion Chart – Plus and cross check down the Add column to 26 and go across to
column 3 and get a result of 33. This would be the player’s adjusted SOG.
• Minus example: If your player’s SOG is 22 and your final adjustment is -5 you would con-
sult the Conversion Chart – Minus and cross check down the Deduct column to 22 and go
across to column 5 and get a result of 13. This would be the player’s adjusted SOG.

When calculating your final adjustment if you are using both the adjustment for the area the shot is
taken from and for the AST rating you have to combine them.

• Example 1: If your player is taking a shot from Area E (-3) and the AST rating is 4 (+1)
your final adjustment to SOG would be (-2).
• Example 2: If your player is taking a shot from Area B (+3) and the AST rating is 4 (+1)
your final adjustment to SOG would be (+4).

As stated earlier Adjustments to the SOG is optional so you can use both adjustments, no adjust-
ment, or just one of them, the choice is yours!

Save Attempt
When the shot is on goal the Goalkeeper must attempt to make the save.

Roll both die to get an 11-66 result and apply to the (ACT)ion column of the individual goalkeeper
card. This will result in a number in the range of 1-10. This number is applied to the GOALKEEPER
SAVE CHART. One of the following actions will occur.
1. No Goal – Shot Caught – this results in the goalkeeper controlling the ball and getting it
back into play with a throw in. Attain a 2-12 Dice Roll and apply to the GK Throw In Chart.
The result will be the Area he has thrown the ball to. Consult the Player Control Chart to
determine which player has control and continue the Action Procedure.
2. No Goal – Hand Block – the goalkeeper has stopped the ball from going into the net but can’t
control it and it ends up out of bounds. The opposition is awarded a Corner Kick.
a. When a Corner Kick is called for you must first determine which offensive player is
taking the corner kick. To do this attain an 11-66 result and apply to the Player Iden-
tification chart. The number indicated corresponds with the players as they are listed
on the scoresheet under the team’s lineup. (If the result is a 66 – Player 11 which is the
Goalkeeper; the corner kick will be taken by Player #1).
b. Attain a 2-12 Dice Roll and apply to the Corner Kick Chart. Follow the instructions on
the chart which will result in one of the following actions.
c. Shot by Kicker – check Shot Resolution
d. Shot on Goal by Kicker – check Save Attempt
e. Header Shot by Player receiving Pass – check Player Control Chart, then check Shot
Resolution
f. Header Shot on Goal by Player receiving Pass – check Player Control Chart, then check
Save Attempt
g. Pass to A or B – check Player Control Chart, go to Action Procedure

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 3. No Goal - Rebound Area A, B, C, or D – check Player Control Chart, go to Action Procedure
4. FC – Foul Committed by Goalkeeper - this means a foul has been committed by the goalie.
(See Foul Committed Procedure)
5. FS – Foul Suffered by Goalkeeper - this means a foul has been committed against the goalie.
(See Foul Suffered Procedure)
6. SP – Special Action - something out of the normal has occurred (See Special Action Procedure)
7. Goal Scored– the goalie was unable to stop the shot and the kicking team has scored a goal.
Team giving up the goal restarts the game with a Kickoff. (See Kickoff Chart)
Awarding an Assist: There are 2 methods available to award an assist. You may choose
whichever one you want to implement although “a” is the easiest and statistically will give
you the most realistic statistical result but it does not necessarily fit with the game flow.
Options “b” follows the ball which adds realism. Note: If a goal is scored off a Corner Kick
by a player other than the player taking the corner kick the assist is awarded to the corner
kicker.
• Consult the Player Identification chart – After a goal is scored attain an 11-66 result
and apply to the Player Identification chart. It will give you which numbered player
is credited with the assist based on the A(ssist) order as it was recorded on the score
sheet at the beginning of the game. If the player who scored the goal is the same
player who is being given credit for the assist, no assist is rewarded. There does not
have to be an assist on all goals.
• Follow the Pass (OPTIONAL): – If a goal is scored immediately following a pass the
player who made the pass is awarded the assist.

PASS RESOLUTION
1. A pass is completed to a specific area and player. For example: B3 means Player #3 has
received the pass in Area B.
2. Go to ACTION PROCEDURE.

(OPTIONAL): Some of the passes have an asterisk (*) which means you can pick which player
receives the ball in the designated area. This does come at some risk though. Your opponent’s
formation determines the chance of success as indicated in the table below. Roll a single die
and apply.

Opponent’s Formation Pass Completed Pass Stolen (Area X)

4-3-3 1-5 6
4-4-2 1-4 5-6
4-5-1 1-3 4-6

DEFENSE RESOLUTION
When DEF(ense) is the result on the Action Chart you must consult the DEFENSIVE CHART.
To determine what action has taken place get an 11-66 Result and crosscheck it with the Team
Defense Rating found on the league line-up sheet. One of the following actions will take place.

Stolen Ball – Area – The defense has stolen the ball and advanced it through dribbling
and passing to the designated area. Check the Player Control Chart and go to the Action
Procedure.

Header – Area – The defense has Headed the ball to the Area indicated. Check the LOOSE
BALL CHART to determine which team has gained control of the ball.
Step 1: Determine the Rating Difference of the teams by comparing their Team Rating
located on the league line-up sheet. For example: Team A (Home Team) has a Home Team
Rating of 5 and Team B (Visiting Team) has an Away Team Rating of 3. The difference is
2 with the Home Team being the Higher Rated Team. Column 2 of the Loose Ball Chart
will be used.
Step 2: Get an 11-66 result and apply to the Loose Ball Chart. Using the example from
step 1 and a dice roll of 43 the Loose Ball would be controlled by the Higher Rated Team
which in this case is the Home Team (due to the fact that the result of 43 fell within the

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 11-51 range under column 2).
Step 3: Go to the Player Control Chart, determine which player has the ball and go to
Action Procedure.

Block – Area - The defense has Blocked the pass attempt to the Area indicated. Check
the LOOSE BALL CHART to determine which team has gained control of the ball. Use
procedure described in Header section above.

HEADER RESOLUTION
1. The ball has been Headed to a specific area.
2. Use Header-Area under Defense Resolution to complete the action.

OUT OF BOUNDS RESOLUTION

1. The ball has been dribbled or passed Out of Bounds.
2. The defensive team is granted a Throw-In from Area X. (See Throw-In Chart)

SPECIAL ACTION PROCEDURE

SPECIAL ACTION CHART – POSITION PLAYER

The results are as follows and indicate action by a player on the team from which the SP result was
attained.
PLAYER DRIBBLING
The player who had control of the ball when the SP result occurred maintains control of the ball
as he dribbles through the defense. When he reaches Area B he takes a shot, consult the Shot
Resolution section for next steps..

OUT OF BOUNDS
The player kicks the ball Out of Bounds while attempting a pass. The opposing team will throw in
the ball from the Area X. Consult the Throw In chart.

BALL STOLEN
A defensive player has stolen the ball. Check the Player Control chart, Area X to determine which
player has stolen the ball and go to Action Procedure.

OFFSIDE
When an offside occurs the opponent takes control of the ball and restarts play with an Indirect
Free Kick from Area X. (See Indirect Free Kick Resolution)

ADVANTAGE
A defensive player steals the ball, completes a cross pass to Area B and is fouled in the process.
The referee realizes stopping play will be disadvantageous to the team and calls an ADVANTAGE
to allow them to complete the play. Check the Player Control chart, Area Designated to determine
which player has the ball and go to Shot Resolution for that player.

INJURY
An injury has occurred to a member of the team of the player from which the SP result was taken.
Step 1: Get an 11-66 result and apply to the Player Identification chart. It will give you which
numbered player is injured based on the I(njury) order as it was recorded on the score sheet at
the beginning of the game.
Step 2: To determine the severity of the injury consult the Injury Chart. Roll the a die and
cross check the result with the individual player’s injury rating. If the result is an “OK” the
player shakes it off and stays in the game, a “G” indicates the player misses the remainder of
the game. If a number results (1-5) the player will be out the remainder of the game plus the
number of games attained from the chart.
Step 3: The player is replaced by a substitute. Remember to extend the period by 1 minute (2
actions).

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 DISPUTED OUT OF BOUNDS
The player feels the he kept the ball in play and argues with the official to no avail. The official will
extend the period by 30 seconds (1 action).

PLAYER CHOICE
The ball has been passed to the Area designated. It is the player’s choice to determine which
player has received the pass (player whose card the SP was taken from can’t be chosen as the player
receiving pass.

SPECIAL ACTION CHART – GOALKEEPER

GREAT OUTLET
Goalkeeper makes the save and quickly gets the ball into play to the player designated who moves it
up field for an excellent scoring opportunity. Follow instructions on chart.

GREAT SAVE
Goalkeeper makes a great save follow instructions on chart to continue play with Goal Kick, GK
Throw-In or a Corner Kick.
Goalkeeper makes a great save but can’t control the ball. It rebounds to an offensive player in desig-
nated area for an automatic shot. Check Player Control chart to see which player takes the shot.
Goalkeeper makes a great save but bobbles the ball and gives up the goal. Goal is awarded to the
player who took the shot. Check for assist.

INJURY
An injury has occurred to a member of the team of the player from which the SP result was taken.
Step 1: Get an 11-66 result and apply to the Player Identification chart. It will give you which
numbered player is injured based on the I(njury) order as it was recorded on the score sheet at
the beginning of the game.
Step 2: To determine the severity of the injury consult the Injury Chart. Roll the a die and
cross check the result with the individual player’s injury rating. If the result is an “OK” the
player shakes it off and stays in the game, a “G” indicates the player misses the remainder of
the game. If a number results (1-5) the player will be out the remainder of the game plus the
number of games attained from the chart.
Step 3: The player is replaced by a substitute. Remember to extend the period by 1 minute (2
actions).

DISPUTED CORNER KICK

The player feels the shot was last touched by the opposition which should result in a corner kick and
argues with the official to no avail. The official will extend the period by 30 seconds (1 action).

FOUL SUFFERED/COMMITTED PROCEDURE

A. Foul Suffered Procedure:

Determine who committed the foul. Roll both dice, get an 11-66 result and apply it to the Player
Identification chart. The number indicated corresponds with the players as they are listed on the score
sheet under the team’s lineup FC column. (If the foul was committed against the goalkeeper and the
result is a 66 – Player 11 which is the opposing Goalkeeper; the foul is committed by Player #1).
Determine if a Yellow Card or Red Card is served on the player committing the foul. To do this roll the
dice, get an 11-66 result, and apply to the individual player card RC/YC/F range. If it is equal to or less
than the first number a Red Card is served, if it is greater than the first number but equal to or less than
the second number a Yellow Card is served, otherwise it is considered an unintentional foul.
Red Card –This is a severe, intentional foul that results in the ejection of the player and a Direct
Free Kick is awarded to the player who suffered the foul. The player who is ejected is not replaced
and any result that goes to his position is taken control of by a defensive player in the area (check

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 Player Control Chart) for the remainder of the contest. (See Direct Free Kick Resolution later).
TEAM DEFENSE IS AUTOMATICALLY DECREASED BY ONE (1) DUE TO THE EJECTION OF
THE PLAYER AND YOU ALSO NEED TO CHECK ADJUST TEAM DEFENSE IN THE CHOOS-
ING A FORMATION SECTION TO SEE IF DUE TO THE POINT LOSS OF THE PLAYER THE
DEFENSE IS AFFECTED EVEN MORE.
Yellow Card - This is considered an intentional but not necessarily severe foul that results in Direct
Free Kick by the player suffering the foul. (See Direct Free Kick Resolution later)
Foul – If the foul is not Carded (Red or Yellow) it is treated as an unintentional foul and the player
suffering the foul is awarded an Direct Free Kick. (See Direct Free Kick Resolution later)
Penalty Kick – If any foul is committed by a defensive player in the Penalty Zone then a Penalty
Kick is awarded to the player suffering the foul. (See Penalty Kick Resolution later) The Penalty
Zone is a 44 yards wide by 18 yards deep section of Area A. If a Foul is committed in Area A you
must check to see if it was committed in the Penalty Zone. Roll the dice, get an 11-66 result, If the
result is 11-26 a Penalty Kick is awarded; if the result is 31-66 follow the instructions for the type of
foul committed.

B. Foul Committed Procedure

Determine who suffered the foul. Roll both dice, get an 11-66 result and apply it to the Player
Identification chart. The number indicated corresponds with the players as they are listed on the score
sheet under the team’s lineup FS column. (If the foul was suffered by the goalkeeper and the result is a
66 – Player 11 which is the opposing Goalkeeper; the foul is suffered by Player #1).
Refer to Foul Suffered Procedure to determine if a Yellow Card or Red Card is served on the player
committing the foul Determine if a Yellow Card or Red Card is served on the player committing the
foul.

C. Red Card for Goalkeeper

If the goalie receives a Red Card he is removed from the game but can be replaced with a substitute. If
the team does not have a substitute goalie available another position player can be used as the goal-
keeper. If the team has used all their allotted substitutes one of the position players on the field can be
put in as the keeper (if this happens any time he would have received the ball in his original position is
now controlled by the opposition).
Effects on game play if a position player is utilized as the goalie use the chart below applying an 11-66
result:
11-13: No Goal - Shot Caught - GK Throw In
12-16: No Goal - Hand Block - Ball Out of Bounds - Corner Kick
21-23: No Goal - Rebound Area A
24-26: No Goal - Rebound Area B
31-66: Goal Scored

MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS & CHART

INDIRECT FREE KICK

An indirect free kick is awarded when a team is off sides. The game is restarted with a ground kick
that cannot be taken towards goal. It is called this because a goal can’t be scored directly from an
indirect free kick, without another player touching the ball. If this occurred the goal would not stand.
Throughout the game you will be told when an indirect free kick will take place.
1. Roll the die to get a 2-12 result and apply it to the INDIRECT KICK Chart.
2. The kick has been controlled by a player in the designated area..

DIRECT FREE KICK

A direct free kick is caused by a foul or handball and unlike the indirect free kick it can be struck

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directly towards the goal. A goal can be scored directly from this type of kick. Throughout the game you
will be told when a direct free kick will take place.
1. Determine if the Area the Direct Kick is being made from and consult the DIRECT KICK Chart.
2. Roll the die to get a 2-12 result and cross-check it with the Area from which the kick is made. This
result will give you one of the following outcomes.
• SOG – Consult the Player Control Chart to determine which player gets the ball and takes
the shot on goal. (refer to Save Attempt)
• S – Consult the Player Control Chart to determine which player gets the ball and takes the
shot. (refer to Shot Resolution)
• Designated Area – The kick has been controlled by a player in the designated area. Consult
the Player Control Chart and go to ACTION PROCEDURE.

PENALTY KICK
A penalty kick is similar to a direct free kick in that it is caused by a foul or handball, but the offence
occurs inside the defending team’s penalty area. The game is restarted with one of the attacking team’s
players shooting for goal from the penalty spot with nothing but a goalkeeper to beat. Throughout the
game you will be told when a penalty kick will take place.
1. The player who was controlling the ball when the foul occurred will take the Penalty Kick.
2. Roll both die and attain an 11-66 result. If the result is less than or equal to the player’s PK rating
the shot is On Goal and a Save attempt must be made. If it is greater than the PK rating consult
the Missed Shot Chart.
3. If the Shot is On Goal then attain another 11-66 result and apply it to the Goalkeeper’s PK rating.
a. If the result of the roll is greater than the PK rating then a goal is scored. Restart play with
a Kickoff for the opposing team.
b. If the result is less than or equal to the PK rating the GK has made the save. Get a 2-12
result and apply it to the PENALTY KICK SAVE CHART.

KICKS FROM THE PENALTY AREA

Kicks from the Penalty AREA is the method used to decide which team progresses to the next stage of
a tournament (or wins the tournament) following a draw in a game of soccer. This process is not used
during the regular season games. The procedure is as follows:
Step 1: A coin toss is used to determine which team will kick first.
Step 2: Each kick is taken in the general manner of a penalty kick. Unlike the penalty kick each
kicker can kick the ball only once per attempt. If the ball is saved by the goalkeeper the kicker can-
not score from the rebound (unlike a normal penalty kick). Similarly, if the ball bounces off the goal
posts, the kicker cannot score from the rebound. Since it is a one-on-one situation the remaining
players are not involved on each kick.
Step 3: Teams take turns to kick from the penalty mark in attempt to score a goal, until each has
taken five kicks. However, if one side has scored more goals than the other could possibly reach with
all of their remaining kicks, the shootout ends regardless of the number of kicks remaining. Coach
selects the order in which his players are participating in the shootout. Pick your best PK rated
players!
Step 4: If at the end of these five rounds of kicks the teams have scored an equal number of goals,
sudden death rounds of one kick each are used until one side scores and the other does not. The
team that scores is declared the winner
Other Kicks From The Penalty Mark Guidelines:
• Only players who were on the field at the end of play are allowed to take kicks. A substitution
can only be made in the case of injury to a goalkeeper during the kicks, provided the team has
not already used the maximum number of substitutes allowed by the competition.
• No player is allowed to take a second kick from the penalty mark until all other eligible players
on his team have taken a first kick, except the goalkeeper. However, if the goalkeeper decides
to take a kick anyway, another player may be skipped.
• If at the beginning of kicks from the penalty mark one side has more players on the field than

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 the other, then the side with more players must select an appropriate number of players who
will not take part. For example, if Team A has 11 players but Team B only has 10, then Team
A will choose one player who will not take part. Players deselected cannot play any part in the
procedure: so a goalkeeper cannot be deselected from kicking while retained for saving. This
applies whether players are absent through injury or being sent off.

SUBSTITUTION RULES
Substituting in soccer is very simple.
In all competitive matches at the professional level, each team is limited to three substitutions per
game, and these substitutions must be chosen from the “dressed substitutes” list designated by each
team pre-game.
In exhibition or “friendly” matches, the number of substitutes may be agreed upon by the teams pre-
game to be any number they wish.

Once a substitute is used the substituted player (player who left the game) is inactive for the remainder
of the game including Extra Periods and Kicks from the Penalty Mark.
Note: Play is Extended by 30 seconds (1 action) for each substitution made during game play (not
substitutions between periods).

Substitutes are made during a break in the action such as ball going Out of Bounds, Goal keeper Save,
an Offside, etc.

When a substitution in APBA is made the substitute player’s name is added on the score sheet on the
Sub Line under the Starter he is replacing. At this point the Offensive Rating order should be adjusted
under the OR Sub column of the score sheet. His other player ratings (FS, FC, AST, INJ) will also
need to be recorded as previously discussed in the Ratings Section of the rules (if using Method 2 each
of these columns will need recalculated).
Note: This will have to be done each time a substitute is made during the game using the subse-
quent OR Sub columns.

CLUTCH POINTS (OPTIONAL)

Each team has a number of Clutch Points they can use during a game which could greatly influence the
outcome of the contest. Clutch Points vary depending on whether or not the team is playing at home or on
the road. Use of these points must be declared before the action is resolved. For example: After your team
has given up a goal, you can’t choose to use points that may have prevented the score - it must be stated
before the shot resolution is made. Many of the options available are not 100% guaranteed. The chance of
wasting the points is present.

Consult the Clutch Points Chart to see your options and the points needed to utilize them during play.

FOULS & MISCONDUCT (YELLOW & RED CARD EXPLANATION)

There is a difference between fouls and misconduct. A foul can occur when a player tries to get the ball
from his opponent and kicks him or pushes him away accidentally, whereas misconduct means that a player
willfully targets his opponent and punches, kicks or pushes him away. Fouls can only occur when the ball is
in play, but misconduct can occur when it’s out of play as well. Depending on the seriousness of the foul or
misconduct, the referee can penalize it with a yellow or red card in addition to a free kick or penalty kick.

In other sports, a foul is “it’s a foul if you hit the other guy” and although that’s partially true for soccer fouls
too, sometimes you don’t even have to hit someone on the field for the ref to call a foul, whereas sometimes
you can freely hit opposing players without triggering a call. According to the FIFA a foul is the act of
kicking, tripping, jumping in/at, charging, striking or pushing an opponent. Non-physical fouls can occur if
a player prevents a goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hand, obstruction, and if a player has a poten-
tially dangerous kick close to an opposing player.

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Fouls in soccer are penalized by handing over the ball to the team that suffered the foul if the foul has been
committed outside a penalty area. In this case, a direct free kick is given, depending on the nature of the
soccer foul, with the kick being taken from the spot where the foul occurred. In case the offense occurs in
the defending team’s penalty area, the ref will give the attacking team a penalty kick, which is a great scoring
opportunity, allowing a player to take a shot with just the opposing goalkeeper to beat and no defenders
around him. The player that caused the foul is also in danger of being cautioned with a yellow card, or being
sent off from the field with a red card, if the offense was way over the limits.

A player is given a yellow card if they commit a foul deemed by the referee to be sufficiently serious to merit
a caution, or for unsportsmanlike conduct (dissent, time wasting etc). Once one is booked, he has to be extra
careful for the rest of the game, as if he gets another yellow card, this will result in a red card, and he will be
off the field and his team is at a disadvantage, with one player less. It also is added to his total tally of yellow
cards for the season, and if he reaches 5 he will be suspended for a game.

A player is given a red card if they commit a serious foul. The player is ejected from the game & may not be
replaced. His team must “play short”. When a Red Card is shown, a direct kick will also be awarded to the
opposition. The player who has been sent off will also miss the next match of the competition. Examples of
red card fouls include extremely hard tackles that injure or are aimed at injuring an opposing player, inten-
tionally hitting or stepping on a fallen opponent. However, a player is also shown a red card if he collects two
cautionary yellows. These fouls are all direct contact and thus are all penalized with at least a direct free kick.

Some key Items about fouls, yellow cards & red cards:
1. Yellow & Red cards are left to the interpretation of the referee.
2. Yellow & Red cards result in a direct free kick.
3. A foul in the Penalty Area (A) may result in a Penalty Kick
4. A player that receives two (2) Yellow cards in a game is given a Red card.
5. Player is ejected and not replaced when served with a Red card.
6. Player receiving a Red card is suspended for the following game.
7. Player receiving a total of five (5) Yellow cards during the season is suspended for the following game.

For more information on additional season sets for the APBA Pro Soccer Board Game, please visit us at
www.APBAgames.com or call us at 1-800-334-2722.
APBA, also, offers a complete line of sports games including: Baseball, Football, Hockey and Golf !

APBA Games
P.O. Box 4547
Lancaster, PA 17604

Since 1951 APBA has been a leader in sports gaming! Satisfy your sports APBAtite with APBA Games!
© 2010 APBA International, Inc.

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