Question Number: 28744

Law 11 - Offside 9/17/2014

RE: Rec Adult

Thomas Nguyen of Garden Grove, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 28723

First, please send my deepest condolences to Mr. Contarino's family.

Thank you, Refs, for your responses. I would like to twist the offside question a little bit: what if the goalkeeper punched the ball and it bounced directly to the aforementioned 'offsided' player? Can she legally play the ball now since it has been touched by an opponent? Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Thomas,
thanks for the kind words.
I am sure Keith and his family would be pleased to know his efforts were valued!
While I agree the punch is a deliberate play, the offside reset on gaining an advantage has that PHRASE 'deliberate save' so it is quite likely the punch could be ruled as a deliberate save and the offside player could be still be considered as unavailable so indfk out !

What I am still trying to determine is what constitutes a deliberate save?

For now I hold the opinion if it was a shot at the goal and the player played it to prevent it from scoring, so without his intervention a goal could have scored that is a deliberate save!

I have assumed the ball must be headed into the goal or at least in the general direction of the goal. A keeper or a defender who is trying to clear the attack is likely not always going to be aware if the ball might be going wide or high! So if they deliberately play the ball with the intention of knocking the ball out and away from goal it could be classified as a deliberate save and no offside rest for the opposition will occur. The inconsistencies will likely show up whether or not the ball might have been a bit wide or high as opposed for certain to enter goal. I am currently waiting to hear if how far away from the goal or if other players are in between the save and the goal will affect how we are to determine a deliberate save from a deliberate play with touch.

The location of where or why this punch occurred, say wide to the right of the goal near the PA boundary to say knock the ball away from the attackers as opposed to stopping it from going into or at the goal might reset as a touch from a deliberate play since it is not a true save. A good example is that traumatic German versus Argentina keeper/striker collision in the 2014 World Cup Final where the keeper punched the ball before hitting the striker in the head with the knee. Granted all eyes were on the collision but for the purposes of offside that punch was most deliberate and certainly not a save! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Thomas
A punch as part of a deliberate save does not reset offside so a player in an offside will be gaining an advantage by being in that position by touching the ball from a punched save.
If the goalkeeper parries the ball then that is not a save but rather control / possession that is given up instantly by the touch. It is unlikely though that a goalkeeper would parry with an opponent in such close proximity so as to be able to play the ball.