Question Number: 33699

Law 11 - Offside 10/9/2019

RE: Competive High School

John DiZonno of Buffalo Grove, Illinois USA asks...

With the new offside rules; if the attacking team takes a shot on goal and the goalkeeper makes the save and the ball goes to an attacking player in an offside position and the player scores a goal.
Is it a goal or is the attacking player offside?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi John,
There have been no recent changes to the offside provisions for this scenario.

Let me start by making one point though - you talk about ball going to an attacking player in an offside position but any offside determination is not based on where the player is when the ball goes to them, it's based on where they were when the ball last touched a team mate.

Assuming the player was in an offside position at that time (not when the ball goes to them) and that after the ball rebounds to them from a save by the keeper, the player then becomes involved in active play, that would be an offside offence.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
This has not changed in either FIFA or NFHS
A save by any player including the goalkeeper using his hands does not reset offside so in your example offside would be called when the player in an offside position touches the ball or interferes with an opponent.
A ‘save’ is when a player stops, or attempts to stop, a ball which is going into or very close to the goal with any part of the body except the hands/arms (unless the goalkeeper within the penalty area).
Offside would is not reset either if it rebounds from the frame of the goal or off an opponent in these situations.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi John,
USA high school has the same rules in place as FIFA LOTG on this .
ANY deliberate save be it a keeper or even a defender that spills the ball into the path of a restricted PIOP (he must have been offside at the last touch by a team mate just being in a offside position is irrelevant he could be there after) The DELIBERATE Action of the save does NOT undo any restriction and the attacker is only offside by reason of gaining an advantage if he was restricted earlier. For all intents and purposes a deliberate save is considered the EXACT same as a rebound or deflection.

Keep in mind though a keeper who makes a controlled save and has the ball in his possession but later drops it or mishandles it while bouncing the offside restriction was lifted the moment the keeper had complete control of the ball after the save was made.
Cheers