Question Number: 32587

Law 11 - Offside 7/12/2018

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

Puzzled by an Offside call in the Croatia v England Semi.

It would appear that Harry Kane was adjudged to have been offside in the passage of play at the 32min mark of the match.

Broadcast replays suggest he was level at the time of the pass from Sterling, and the flag did not go up. He was then one-on-one with the Croatia keeper, with the keeper blocking the shot.
The ball bounces free to near the goal line where Kane regathers and shoots the ball which hits the left post, pinballs to the keeper where it then gets deflected up and over the crossbar to the far side.
Still no flag.
The ball lands a good foot or so over the goal line on the far side of the goal and due to the spin on the ball, it comes back into the field of play.
A goal line camera angle provides an excellent view of this, and you see the far side AR raise his flag, but only after the ball has landed out and spun back in.

Cut to a standard wide view and the Ref has his arm up to indicate an offside call?

IF Kane was offside at the initial pass from Sterling, why has the AR waited until after an initial shot on goal, a rebound, a regather, a second shot, and finally the ball bounce high over the cross bar from one post to the other, landed out, come back in "- before a flag was raised.
Why the excessive long wait, and, if it was not offside, why not a corner to England?

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/southgate-s-england-to-prepare-for-game-they-don-t-want

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
A few points
1. ARs have been told by FIFA to delay the flag on tight offside and to let VAR decide should a goal be the outcome
2. VAR has the use of technology to assist in offside calls which uses I believe different cameras in addition to the TV ones?
When I looked at it the situation it seemed to me that the AR delayed his flag until the chance was over which was when the ball left the field of play. That happened immediately after the ball spun back into play. Referee Cakir clearly signals for offside.
On the face of it the situation looked to me like no offside and a mistake to award an IDFK. VAR cannot resolve that offside flag situation as it is not one of the 4 listed for review nor a *serious* incident. Had Kane scored and the flag gone up I think VAR would have allowed the goal from what I observed.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Russell,
yes the word is the VAR says let the close ones go we will step in if the flag is needed. So it likely Kane was marginally ahead initially so a goal would not count the issue is we do not hear the radio chatter . They can project the offside line in 3d and isolate body parts . I just saw not enough hustle on the part of England after the first goal it was as if they were coasting???
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
AR's at this World Cup as I understand it, have been told to delay the flag on marginal offside calls when a goal is in the offing and only raise the flag when the attacking move is over and a goal is not scored (if a goal is scored, it will automatically be reviewed by VAR). We have seen this a number of times in different games and I think this is another example of the practice.

The resulting kick was taken from a position about 6 yards outside the goal area so it seems apparent it was given as an offside offence, not as a goal kick. For what it's worth (not a lot, obviously) the replays I saw suggested that Kane was level with the second last opponent, so onside.