Question Number: 30895

Law 11 - Offside 10/13/2016

RE: Competitive Under 14

Eugene of San Jose, CA United States asks...

An attacker in an offside position right in front of the goal is being closely marked by a defender. The defender intercepts a through ball pass intended for the attacker within playing distance of both players. As the defender is struggling to control the ball, the attacker immediately challenges for the ball, wins the challenge, and takes a shot.

Should this play be whistled offside as the attacker gained advantage from being in the offside position, or should it continue because the defender's interception reset the play?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Eugene
As described thus is offside. The player in an offside position has immediately challenged an opponent which is interfering with an opponent.
It would not be offside if the defender cleared the ball away without challenged or he had sufficient time to control the ball and move it away free from an immediate challenge by a PIOP. It I'd left yo the judgement of the referee as to the timing between the control of the ball and the challenge.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Eugene,
as in any event unseen we draw a picture based on the description we are provided. Your explanation that the OPP (offside positioned player) was within playing distance is a prima fact he HAS INVOLVED himself by interfering with the opponent and as such an INDFK out for offside would be the correct result.

To allow the defender's actions as a deliberate reset with no offside we would have to factor in (a) was it a deliberate save as in the ball could have entered the goal in such a case offside is NOT reset no matter it was deliberately played. We would indeed have to wait until the defender had more than just a touch but had played the ball with a degree of control after that saving touch before we allow a restricted OPP to intervene with play being reset .

(b) If indeed there was sufficient time and space for the defender to make the deliberate play without the challenge of pressure (involvement) by the OPP. The greater the distance away whereby the opponent is NOT seen as challenging and whether the opponent is running at speed toward the ball or simply standing close by observing biding his time to intervene. Just bear in mind being close to play, players or the ball is NOT the same as challenging and moving at speed things have less reaction time and thus involvement maybe easier to diagnose.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Eugene, I'm with ref McHugh on this one.

As you describe it, this would be offside for me. Under the category of ''interfering with an opponent'' we find the 'sub-category' of ''challenging an opponent for the ball.''

Obviously, there is an element of timing here and if too much time has elapsed from the moment of the last touch by a team mate to the moment the challenge occurs, you might decide not to call this as an offence. But since you say that the challenge occurred ''immediately'' then I think the offside offence criteria have been met.