Question Number: 14896

Law 14 - Penalty kick 2/25/2007

RE: Rec Under 15

Gerard of San Antonio, Texas USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14567

A player takes a PK and the goalie stops the initial kick but the rebound comes off the goalie and the player taking the PK kicks it in for a goal but no defenders entered the penalty area. Should this not be considered offsides?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Offside, one "s" in the word in the middle, none at the end. OK, I'm picky.

Offside cannot apply at the proper taking of a penalty kick. That is because all players are required to line up in positions that are even with or behind the ball. At the time of the kick there is nobody in an offside position, so there can be no offside offense.

Secondly in your scenario, the PK taker recovers the rebound from the goalkeeper. Since offside requires a teammate, that's another reason for no call here.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Gerard,
as my colleague has explained no offside is possible as the ball is ahead of all the pk kickers teammates (closer to the opposing goalline) including the pk kicker himself when the ball is last touched. The rebound off a PK is available to any teammate who did not encroach whether it hits the keeper or the woodwork.

HOWEVER< the pk kicker although not offside cannot play the ball UNLESS that ball makes contact with the keeper because in law the kicker cannot play the ball a second time unless it contacts another player off either team. So if the ball hit the post or crossbar and deflected back to the pk kicker while not offside, if he plays the ball it is a SECOND Touch and a loss of posession with an INFK out!
I tell you this because those watching see this and confuse the two totally DIFFERENT suituations!

If, after the penalty kick has been taken:
The kicker touches the ball a second time (except with his hands) before it has touched another player:
an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, the kick to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No way! The player was not closer to goalline than ball and the ball was received by the keeper NOT a TEAMMATE. Remember to be offside, the player must be in an offside position and BECOME INVOLVED IN PLAY AT THE MOMENT TEAMMATE TOUCHES BALL.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Gerard!! How can the kicker be offside on himself? Offside is ONLY judges at the moment the ball is played or touched by a teammate. On our main page there is an excellent synopsis of offside written by Ref Fleischer. It is concise and easy to understand.