Question Number: 34350

Law 11 - Offside 9/25/2021

RE: College

Peter Thomas of Sarnia, ON Canada asks...

At a recent game, a free kick was taken by Green#5 (playing against White) from about 30 yards out. All players were in an onside position when the kick was taken. The kick was played to a green player#9 who headed it towards the net. When she headed it, a different green player#17 had run forward and put herself in an offside position at the time the ball was headed. The headed ball went towards the net, the keeper dove and saved the ball but did not control it. Green#17 was the first player to get to the ball after the save and was called offside when she touched the ball.
I was the A/R at the game and did not call the offside it was called by the centre ref. I have watched the video of the game and have seen the sequence of play and I'm unsure if there was an offside offence. Reading Law 11, it indicates a player in an offside position when they receive the ball directly from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball is not considered to have gained an advantage unless it was a deliberate save by any opponent. This was a save by the keeper was the call by the centre ref correct and I missed the call? I believe offside was the correct call but want to make sure I am interpreting the offside law correctly.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Peter,

If the keeper (or any other player) is blocking a shot on goal, then that touch - unlike any other block - does not cancel out offside.

So if 17 is in an offside position when the shot was taken, the keeper saves the shot - ie blocks it, and deflects it towards 17 - then this is still offside.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Peter,
I think you have it right in your mind now!
you reevaluate POSITION each time a TEAM MATE touches the ball.
Green Free kick EVERYONE is ok.
Freekick is headed by a Green player (new touch that we know is just fine BUT we instantly FREEZE FRAME the action in our minds reevaluating the positions of the rest of the team. We NOW notice we have a GREEN PIOP who is closer to the opposing goal line than the 2nd last opponent and that ball at that precise header contact moment. The Headed ball is on target and the keeper makes a save keeping the ball out of the goal but unfortunately spills it into a free loose uncontrolled non-possesion ball. LUCKILY, for that keeper his mistake does not cost him because that ball is played by the GREEN restricted PIOP, not a non restricted onside green player and thus our GREEN PIOP is deemed to have gained an advantage thusly an INDFK Out will be awarded to the Defenders at the point this interference with play occurs.

Keep in mind that a PIOP COULD interfere with an opponent by blocking their line of sight or preventing them from getting to the ball, even if accidently.
In a recent match I had a situation much like yours only the player who was offside positioned did not play the ball. This PIOP was directly in front of the keeper when his team mate headed the ball. The keeper spilled the ball and a nonrestricted onside player popped it into the goal but the AR had correctly flagged the interference by the PIOP blocking the keeper's line of sight. The goal did not count & an INDFK was awarded out!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Peter,
A player who receives the ball from a deliberate save by an opponent, having been in an offside position when the ball last touched a teammate, is considered to have gained an advantage by being in that position. So in the scenario which you have described the referee was correct to call this as an offside offence.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
Well done on reviewing this and informing your understanding of Law 11.

As described this was indeed offside as a save does not reset offside. So the save by the goalkeeper in your example was not a reset.
A save is defined as ** An action by a player to stop or attempt to stop the ball when it is going into or very close to the goal using any part of the body except the hands/arms (unless a goalkeeper within their own penalty area)**

As to determining if it was a save my advice is that when a goalkeeper tries to stop the ball legally with the hands close to goal there is every chance it is going into or very close to the goal so it is a save.