Question Number: 15797

Law 11 - Offside 6/14/2007

Steve of GA, GA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 15649

I read your response, and I wanted to get your opinion on yet another "involved" situation. [like 15649]

Attacker A1 is in an offside position just past midfield in their attacking half. Long ball is played through from the defensive half. Attacker A1 runs on the ball, with the defender trailing by a full step. Attacker A2 who was on their own side of midfield (and hence onside) makes a run on the ball as well. The ball was played down the middle of the field, and in reality either A1 or A2 had an equal opportunity to reach the ball first.

Now, in this situation, I have always held the flag down and let the play figure itself out before I signal an offense. However, with two players making a run on the ball, both with clear intention of playing it, and the defender trailing the play, most times the keeper will make a run on the ball.

In my opinion I will raise my flag as soon as I see the keeper come up to make a play (assuming it is going to end up a 50/50 ball... not a clear ball to keeper possession) to try and avoid the collision that is sure to follow. In my opinion, A1 needs to hold back their run in order to not be "involved" and as soon as they start running on the ball full speed from an offside position, they are involving themself, no matter if they reach the ball or not.

I was recently waved down on this. After the game, the center said he felt that A2 was going to get to the ball before A1, and since A2 was coming from an onside position everything was legit. Turned out that A1 and the Keeper collided just inside the 18, keeper gained possession of the ball, but was also injured in the play. As you can imagine, the keeper's coach went ballistic!

So, in the scenario above where 2 players are making a run in the open on a ball, how do you call it???

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If you or the CR think the onside player will get there first, hold the flag until the keeper becomnes involved. If you think it's gonna be 50:50, raise that flag asap! The last thing you want is a collision between an offside attacker and a keeper

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

We are asked to wait and see who touches the ball when an on side and an offside team mate are both in pursuit of the ball. However interfering with play does not EXLUDE interfering with an opponent. If an opponent is in pursuit as well as the two team mates that opponent can not be interfered with by that OFFSIDE player. Close proximity with an impending collision is very definately involved! If the offside player was 25 yards away likely a non issue but with the offside player in full stride with opposing keeper in full stride the opposite direction that distance evaporates into involvment pretty quickly!
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 15819