Question Number: 30205

Law 11 - Offside 3/19/2016

RE: Competitive Under 17

Coach Michael of Toronto, Ontario Canada asks...

Player 1 enters the 18 yard box but doesn't shoot, he opts to pass it to player 2 who is on the penalty marker and onside. Player 2 takes a step towards the keeper and is now behind all the defenders, it's 1v1. Player 2 doesn't shoot either but passes it forward diagonally to player 1 who's made a run and is now behind the keeper's right hand side and scores. Is it offside? Please let me know asap because I may have to make an appeal.

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

Hello Coach Michael,
not to be the bearer of bad news but there is no appeal for an offside call. It is a judgement call based on an opinion, whether the opinion was correct or not is immaterial, as a fact of play all decisions by the referee are final. Protestable situations are if the LOTG are altered, as in the RESTART is incorrect! If an offside is awarded to the defenders for what the referee thought was offside (even if he was incorrect and it was onside) the restart stands as a fact of play! However, if resulting free kick was to directly enter the opposition goal! The referee awards a goal! Oops! The referee has forgot the offside restart is an INDFK and as such the ball can not DIRECTLY enter the goal. THAT my good coach is protestable as the goal was awarded incorrectly against the LOTG. The correct restart is to nullify the goal restart with a goal kick.

There is no real way to gauge the CR or ARs understanding of the situation you describe. Offside is a yes or no decision based on criteria that they interpret.

If attacker #1 is onside & passes ball to player #2 who is onside then at that moment player #2 had at minimum 2 opponents (1 who likely was the keeper {not a given}) even or closer to the opposing goal line . Keep in mind the keeper is a defender.
Once player #2 moves BEYOND the 2nd last opponent then the BALL itself becomes that imaginary offside line you see occasionally highlighted on your TV.
The KEY component in your scenario is the POSITION of attacker #1, WHEN attacker 2 pushes the ball wide?
The direction of the pass or the spot where attacker #1 plays that ball mean nothing!
WAS attacker #1 FARTHER away or even with the ball from the opposing goal line at the time of the last touch of the ball by attacker #2?
If he was then he was onside and the goal should be allowed.
If he was not, if he was closer than the ball to the opposing goal line then he was offside and guilty of interfering with play, no goal, INDFK out!

check out Q&A 29240 http://soc.cr/K5dcI
3rd goal at end of video
and Q&A 28668
http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2014-08-16-new-england-revolution-vs-portland-timbers/details/video/22997

from our pitch to your pitch in the spirit of fair play

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Michael
Reads to me that there were two offside decisions to be made here. The pass by Player 1 to Player 2 and the pass by Player 2 I assume back to Player 1. Now I also assume that the offside was not called on the first play and from what I read more likely to be on the second play. Now if Player 1 in the second play is ahead of the ball at the moment of the pass by Player 2 then that is offside. To stay onside in the 2nd play with only the goalkeeper between the players and the goal line Player 1 has to stay behind the ball. If to use your words Player 1 is * now behind the keepers right hand side* and also ahead of the ball he is in an offside position and that will be called when he touches the ball.
I might also point out that offside is not a protestable decision as it it is a matter of opinion. Protests on referees decisions are very rare and relate to a misapplication of the Law such as an incorrect restart at a penalty kick infringement, failing to send off a player for 2 cautions, etc. Those are matters of fact rather than opinion.