Question Number: 34222

Law 11 - Offside 5/18/2021

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

Offside

Some friends have debated the disallowed goal to West Brom in there match against Liverpool. They believe that as the goal was scored by an onside player - why was it disallowed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKEA4rQJIys

I advised that at the time of the header, there was an offside positioned attacker directly in the line of sight of the keeper and at that point an offence occurred, and so any play thereafter in of little matter and why the goal was ruled out.

At least, that is my rational.

Irony is that it is doubtful Alisson would have been able to save it even without the offside positioned attacker.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

hi Russell
Yes you are correct. The offside was for line of sight interfering by the player in an offside position.
Camera angles showed that the PIOP was directly in line with the first header by the West Brom player.

Many in the game have also mentioned the fact that the line of sight interference would have had no impact on the subsequent play and that may very well be the case. However at this level fine margins are important and seeing the initial direction of the first header would have been vital.
The reason the attacker was in that location was to interfere with the goalkeeper and just before the header there was contact between the GK and the PIOP. If the PIOP was not there the question would not have arisen.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi, Russell,
If the PIOP had ducked down then the officials might have allowed the goal. You are 100% correct the offside kerfuffle was the line of sight but was not the Allison-headed goal ironic to win it? lol

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
While the goal was scored by an onside-positioned player, there was an offside-positioned player blocking the goalkeeper's line of sight.

The debate I have seen, is over whether simply obstructing the keeper's line of sight is sufficient, if this does not prevent the goalie from playing the ball.

The full wording of the relevant clause is:

"preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision"

Based on that wording, if seems that the blocking of the opponent's line of sight must also impact on the opponent's ability to play the ball. I have seen various people saying that Alisson was not prevented from reaching the ball by the offside-positioned player, so the goal should have stood.

Others say that whether Alisson could have reached the ball or not, he was prevented from even attempting to do so because his line of sight was blocked.

It's a tricky one and I think it falls within the area of a referee's judgement call. The officials on the day decided that an offside offence had occurred.