Question Number: 14958

Law 11 - Offside 3/8/2007

RE: Select Under 14

Brian Sizemore of Smyrna, GA USA asks...

Hi Ref,

In a recent scrimmage I saw a situation that I had never seen before. On a breakaway my 2 strikers have beaten an high offside trap and are running down field with only the keeper to beat. The keeper (a new and inexperienced player) charges out to meet them at about the 18. The one holding the ball passes him easily. After he has passed the keeper he passes the ball to the other striker - who b/c he didn't have to avoid the keeper is slightly ahead of him.

Is he in an offside position? The opposing coached said yes, and I, not wanting to argue, let it be.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Brian

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Brian, information is lacking! Solving the equation is impossible without one important fact, where is the other player with regard to the ball? Nearer the goal line or not. That's way important!!!

Nearer=Offside

Not nearer or even=Sure goal

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Brian! come visit me at Tramore some time. Well, obviously, the player receiving the ball is nearer the opponent's goal than the next to last opponent but is he nearer the goal line than the ball? If he's even with or behind the ball when it's passed, he's onside. If not, he's offside. Thanks for question.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The key to the question is in what you said, "is slightly ahead of him." Is him the keeper, or the teammate? If the teammate, does slightly ahead mean he's also ahead of the ball?

Remember there are 3 things in offside position, and all 3 must be true - in the attacking half, nearer the goal line than 2nd to last defender, and nearer the goal line than the ball. I suspect that because your player was called offside, the last condition was true, making all 3 of them true. So he was in an offside position, and because he played the ball, he was involved in play. Offside - based on the assumptions I made about what you wrote.