Possession (sports) opportunity to score. In bat-and-ball games including baseball and cricket, the ball is controlled by the fielding team, which are on defense. In several sports, possession is exchanged after the offensive team scores, or when the defensive team physically takes control of a "live" (in play) ball through a fumble, interception, or steal. In gridiron football, possession is additionally controlled through a series of allotted plays called downs, over which the offensive team must move the ball a certain distance down the field, or lose possession. Possession at the start of a game, or in a neutral restart, may be
Throw-in to the opposing team from where the offence occurred, unless the second touch was also a more serious handling offence, in which case it is punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick. It is legal to throw the ball into the goal with no contact; however, a goal will not be scored directly from a throw in, nor can an own-goal, without being touched by a player. The restarts are a goal kick for the defending team and a corner kick for the attacking team, respectively. If any player (legally) touches the ball before it goes into the