Question Number: 29670

Law 11 - Offside 9/6/2015

RE: Under 15

Brian Kerrigan of Brooklyn, NY USA asks...

Two attackers are through and on side having beaten the defenders.One of the attackers shoots and his shot is saved by the keeper but put into the path of the second attacker who then scores.

Question: Is this off-side? Is it off-side if the scorer was ahead of the initial shot taker?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi brian
The answer lies in the position of the scorer at the moment of the shot will determine if there is offside or not. If at the moment of the shot the player is in an offside position then when he plays the rebound from the save that will be called offside for gaining an advantage by being in that position. If the scorer is behind the ball or he has a second opponent between himself and the goal line at the moment of the first shot then there is no offside call as he is an onside position.
On a two on one with with the goalkeeper the only onside position available to the 2nd attacker is level or behind the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Brian,

When they're already past the second-last line of defence, then we look at the position of the 2nd attacker against the ball. If he's in front of the ball, he's in an offside position. If he's level with or behind the ball, then even though he may be past the defensive line, he's onside.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Brian,
a DELIBERATE save will not reset offside, so gaining an advantage will occur if the 2nd teammate is closer to the opposing goal line than the BALL at the moment his teammate takes the shot at goal. The INDFK out for offside will occur from WHERE the OFFSIDE position 1st occurred at the exact moment of the shot, not where he might have eventually played the ball,.

It is plausible given a shooter's body is often leaning back as the extended leg and foot kick the ball that the accompanying teammate MIGHT look slightly ahead of the shooter yet still be behind or even with the ball. Then he would be ONSIDE and legal to play the rebound into the goal .
Cheers

It is important to remember that if there is no 2nd last opponent then the ball becomes the imaginary offside line!