Question Number: 14951

Law 11 - Offside 3/6/2007

RE: High School Adult

Sam Haynes of Eastaboga, AL USA asks...

Offsides question. Player 1 on team A is given a direct free kick. Player 2 on team A is onsides when the kick is made. Player 2 breaks toward the goal, passing the defense. The ball bounces off of the goal and player 2 who is passed the defense at this time delivers the ball into the goal from the ricoche. Is player 2 considered off sides, even if he is onsides when the kick was made?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

You state the player is NOT offside at the moment the ball is touched or played by one of his own team, Correct?

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position, a position he runs to after the ball is touched or played, Correct?

The ball is between the goal and player 2 when player 2 hits it, Correct?

No offside offence criteria has happened!

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Player onside when ball is played by teammate. End of story..

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

"Player 1 on team A is given a direct free kick. Player 2 on team A is onsides when the kick is made."

OK, we can stop right here. Not offside. Doesn't matter what else happens.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

It is judged at the moment ball touches his teammate. Player 2 is onside when ball touched player 1 and thus NO OFFSIDE. Easy as pie!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Sam,
offside is a two part equation where the first part "position" must be established when the TEAMMATE last touches the ball.
That simply does not occur.
Running into an offside position AFTER the last touch is fine, the ball is free to be played.
The 2nd part "involvement" is of this player's own making not something that occurred at the time of the last touch of the teammate, he was NOT in an offside position when that kick occurred! In fact the player shooting therrebound now becomes the teammate who last touches the ball and resets offside position for the rest of his team or not as the case may be!
What your case is, is a case of a well timed run to score a great goal! Cheers