Question Number: 26220

Law 11 - Offside 4/23/2012

RE: Social Adult

Ron of Auckland, NZ asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26204

Under the conditions above can a goal be scored after a deliberate save happens without the keeper having the ball in control.This is the issue i believe. Please could you clarify for me also.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ron
The answer depends on control of the ball. When a goalkeeper makes a save with the ball rebounding off him that does not constitute control and offside is not reset. This happens 99.9% of the time where the ball is pushed away, blocked, deflected etc.
Broadly defined, control is the ability to manipulate the ball and prepare it for a following touch. It is one of the most essential skills in football. So in the case of an outfield play the same would apply. A deflection / rebound does not reset offside yet once the player has taken control of the ball then offside is reset and play continues
In the case of a goalkeeper who parries the ball which is control of the ball offside has been reset.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The 'save' in and of itself is meaningless when considering if offside resets. Forget about the save. Ask yourself did the keeper control the ball? Obviously if he just slaps or punches the ball, there's no control or possession and an attacker that was in an offside position when the ball was played by his teammate may not participate in play.

On the other hand, if the keeper catches the ball and then distributes it, he has controlled it and there can be no offside because now the ball has last been played by an opponent and we only consider offside when the ball is touched or played by a teammate

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

This question references #26204, where the keeper makes a save, the ball rebounds to an opponent who was in an offside position when his teammate shot the ball.

The answer will always depend on the referee's decision regarding whether there was sufficient control by the keeper to elevate the save to a parry - a very controlled play on the ball. Most saves are nowhere near controlled, even if they are deliberate - aren't they all? Generally, if the keeper could have caught the ball, but chooses to play the ball with his hands or fists in such a way as to direct it somewhere, we are talking control. If the keeper is punching or slapping at the ball just to keep it out of the goal, we are not talking control, and offside will still apply.

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See Question: 32363