Question Number: 32845

Law 11 - Offside 10/27/2018

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

Foul recognition

Can the panel please let me know what I am missing in regards to the disallowed Spurs in the recent UCL match.

At the 2.42 mark of the highlights clip link provided, a corner is taken by Spurs.
Ball is eventually kicked not the goal, and the players running off to celebrate. Defending team don't appear top be protesting anything.
Ref has done the right thing and checked with his near side AR before making any gesture to confirm the goal.
He looks like he is ready to go with a good goal, before seeing the AR.

What am I missing, I just cannot see what the AR has seen. Cannot be offsite. Cannot see any obvious infraction on the keeper, however, possibly he has with his angle of view?

I'm puzzled.

Equally puzzled as to why the commentators think there is and issue from Harry Kane.

https://www.yoursoccerdose.com/2018/10/24/psv-vs-tottenham-hotspur-highlights/

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
From what we see in the video it was not offside.
Kane is clearly in an offside position but he does to interfere with an opponent as set out in Law 11
Perhaps depth perception and a *guess* that the defender behind Kane on the goal line was prevented from playing the ball. VAR in my opinion would have ruled the goal good as that defender makes no effort to play the ball and Kane is not in his line of sight.
As to commentators many have not bothered to update themselves on the Laws and many comments are legacy issues or not based on current laws.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Russell,

I don't understand how this decision was made. There's a player in an offside position, but he's nowhere near the ball and doesn't come close to interfering with the defender.

I can only presume that the AR thought the ball was closer to the defender and the defender was denied the opportunity to move across the line. That's a guess, but it's the most logical thing I can think of.

For 'interfering with an opponent', often it requires a discussion with the AR - and typically the AR will point out the PIOP but the referee tends to have the best view on whether or not interference has occurred.

Certainly, this was an incorrect decision.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Russell,
no idea why that would be an offside decision as Harry Kane was in no way affecting play in MY opinion. The blocking of the defender along the line is in my opinion a weak argument in this case!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
I agree with my colleagues (and you) that this was not an offside offence. However what the AR gave was an offside decision. This is clear from his flag positioning. He is signalling for an offside offence in the centre of the field. The commentators were correct in pointing out that the offside offence had to have been given against Harry Kane - he was the only Spurs player in an offside position at the time, so the only possible candidate for the erroneous offside that the AR gave.

What puzzled me was why the match officials did not use their communications devices - as they should have done - to discuss what had occurred and so come to the correct decision that Kane, although in an offside position, had not interfered with an opponent in any way.