Question Number: 25947

Law 11 - Offside 2/3/2012

RE: hs, comp Under 18

Tien of walnut creek, ca usa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25943

Add after ball hits off post/bar, deflects off of an offside player(doesn't play) back to onside player who shoots/heads ball into goal. Goal or not? thanks(deflections happen)...

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

If the ball touches a player in offside position, offside should be called. The player has interfered with play even if the contact was unintentional.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

A deflection off a defender does not reset offside considerations; perhaps that is the principle you are thinking of.

But any touch by an attacker, whether deliberate or an unintentional deflection, does count toward offside.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tien
The offside law does not differentiate between deliberate or accidental contact of the ball. Once the ball touches a player in an offside position that is offside and it must be called.
So in your scenario the ball rebounds to a player in an offside position off the frame of the goal, offside is called for 'gaining an advantage by being in that position' when it touches that player and the goal is ruled out.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Absolutely no goal! When the ball touches the player in the offside position (deliberate or accidental is irrelevant) that player has interfered with play and offside should be called.

If the ball had deflected off a defender to the player in an offside position, that is still offside.

If the ball deflected off a defender, including the goalkeeper, back to the onside player who took the shot, the goal counts. The player was onside at the beginning of the play.

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

See Question: 28496