Question Number: 29843

Law 11 - Offside 10/22/2015

Lorna of Elgin, Scotland asks...

A player shoots for goal from an onside position, the goalkeeper saves and it comes back off the post. Another attacker, who was in an onside position when the initial shot was made comes in and scores from the rebound. Is this onside or offside?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Lorna
As described there is no offside here. The first shot was by an attacker in an onside position. The ball then comes to a 2nd attacker who was in an onside position at the time of the first. Again no possible offside.
Now what can happen is that with the focus on the 1st shot that the position of the 2nd attacker is not picked up until after the shot. That can then look like the attacker was in an offside position when he receives the ball in an offside position. In offside it is not where the player receives or touches the ball that matters just his position when his team mates plays / touches the ball. In this case the scorer was in an onside position at the time of the shot so nothing can place that player subsequently in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Lorna,
You answered your own question by declaring the participants as both ONSIDE when the 1st shot was taken. As long as the team mate following up after the shot was further away from the opposing goal than the 2nd last opponent or the BALL at the time the ball was shot. Nothing has occurred to change their or his onside status! Running in to play a ball is fine no matter how many defenders or posts the ball happens to hit, that is a good goal. Deliberate saves and deflections of the ball do not RESET offside it simply leaves things as they were for the opposition. In this case onside player is still an onside player no matter he runs in to play a ball one on one with the keeper ! Remember too the BALL itself is the offside line when the 2nd last opponent is not in the picture!
Cheers