Question Number: 31352

Law 11 - Offside 3/15/2017

RE: Adult

Mike of Carrollton, Texas United States asks...

Should a goal be disallowed if a player is in an offside position but the player in an onside position takes a shot that the goalkeeper saves but in turn falls to the player in offside position when shot was taken and that player scores?

My contention is that the shot was legally taken and once the keeper saves/plays the ball, the formerly offside player is now onside due to a defensive touch.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Mike,
No!
Offside is NOT reset on a deliberate save!
It is treated the SAME as a REBOUND or DEFLECTION and the OPP is held accountable for gaining an advantage ! INDFK out EVERYTIME!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
Thanks for the question. Offside is one of the most frequent questions asked on the site and one that is most often incorrectly interpreted.
Your contention is incorrect in that the lawmakers do not want players in an offside position gaining an advantage by being in that position. So in your example it is offside for gaining an advantage by being in that position when the ball is saved or rebounds / deflects to the player in an offside position. Here is an example of same
https://vimeo.com/106728525
It would not be offside if the ball was played by an opponent to the PIOP such as in the recent example shown in the video attached to question # 31349
https://streamable.com/pviqs
To quote the relevant part of Law 11
** Gaining an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has:
## rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent
## been deliberately saved by any opponent
A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save by any opponent) is not considered to have gained an advantage.**
The second bullet point covers your scenario in that the ball has been saved. Saved in an offside context means an attempt on goal with the ball heading towards goal.