What is the appropriate restart if a player takes a penalty kick and the ball is deflected back to them and they score?

When a player takes a penalty kick and the ball is deflected back to them, if they score a goal from that deflection, the correct restart is a kick-off. This is because the goal has been successfully scored, and the game resumes with a kick-off from the center of the field by the opposing team.

In soccer, a goal is only deemed valid if the ball completely crosses the goal line within the goalposts and below the crossbar. If a player replays a shot on goal and scores as a result of a deflection from their own penalty kick, it is treated like any other goal scored during open play. Upon scoring, the game is restarted with a kick-off, where the opposing team will have the opportunity to restart play. Understanding this aspect of the rules is essential for recognizing how play resituates after various scoring scenarios.

In this case, options involving a corner kick, free kick, or goal kick would not apply since a goal was scored and the game must proceed according to the rules following a goal.