Question Number: 35182

Law 11 - Offside 10/25/2023

RE: Rec Adult

Mike of London, United Kingdom asks...

Ball is played through. OffensivePlayerA1, onside, runs with the ball towards goal and towards DefendingKeeperA1. OffensivePlayerA1 goes past DefendingKeeperA1 leaving DefendingKeeperA1. OffensivePlayerA1
stops on the edge of the penalty area. DefendingPlayerA2 has run back and is on the goal-line. OffensivePlayerA2 has run ahead of OffensivePlayerA1 and is on the corner of the six year box. All other players are further away from this goal than DefendingKeeperA1. OffensivePlayerA1 shoots. DefendingPlayerA2 makes a block on the goal-line. The ball falls for OffensivePlayerA2 who scores. OffensivePlayerA2 was not in the line of sight of DefendingPlayerA2 when the ball was played by OffensivePlayerA1. Offside or not?

My (flawed?) reasoning ...

OffensivePlayerA2 was in an offside position at moment the ball was played by OffensivePlayerA1 by being closer to the goal-line than the second-to-last DefensivePlayer (which incidentally is DefendingKeeperA1). By blocking it, DefendingPlayerA2 played the ball. And by playing the ball, offside is now in a different phase. So onside.

If wrong, let me know where and why. Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mike,
Based on the described positions, this is a CLEAR textbook INDFK out for offside, .

The blocking sounds like a SAVE made by the defender, as such this physical touch of the ball will NOT reset ANY opposing restricted PIOP. Even though the defender deliberately played the ball, this is an exception where the PIOP is now considered to be gaining an advantage and thus no goal INDFK out from the point where OffensivePlayerA2 touches the ball. Because OffensivePlayerA2 was offside positioned AHEAD of the ball when his team mate, OffensivePlayerA1 shot.

ONLY if OffensivePlayerA2 was behind the ball when his team mate shot could he run in freely to knock home a rebound!

Remember OFFSIDE is a TWO part equation:
POSITION -THEN- INVOLVEMENT!
When there is no 2nd last opponent the BALL itself becomes the imaginary line for offside positional determination.

There are two exceptions that DO NOT reset the restrictions already in place created by the earlier positional evaluation.
ONE: is on a deliberately played ball by an opponent where there is an actual SAVE made whereby the defender is stopping a shot at their goal
TWO: and or an instinctive or unaware rebound or deflection that is accidental or without time to react

Remember you can legally be on the FOP while restricted due to offside positioning but you CAN NOT not interfere, you CAN NOT get involved, if restricted. It is the involvement that creates the INDFK infringement, but only after the positional restriction is in place!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
The answer hinges on your observation that the defending player played the ball from a shot on goal which fell to Offensive player A2 who scored.

Law 11 states that **A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball, including by deliberate handball, is not considered to have gained an advantage, unless it was a deliberate SAVE by any opponent. (Capitals by me)
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).**

So the SAVE by the defending player did not reset offside or begin a new phase of play and it is the classical gaining an advantage by being in an offside position.
As described it just has to be offside.