Question Number: 16278

Law 11 - Offside 8/11/2007

RE: rec Adult

m. anders of calgary, alberta canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16234

if a keeper misplays the ball (tries to drop kick but fluffs it) and the opposing team has two players in the box, 1 of whom intercepts, are either of them offside? If one then passes to the other, who is ahead of the ball, are either offside.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Immediately after the goalkeeper releases the ball, neither opponent is offside as the ball was not last played/touched by a teammate.

Once one of the players intercepts the ball, the other one could be in an offside position depending on where he was at the time of his teammate's last touch. You mention him being ahead of the ball, but don't mention whether or not there were other defenders (beside the embarrassed keeper) who would define the offside-position line.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi M Anders,

If the keeper errors, the nearby lucky opponent has a gift.
Even if the two teammates were offside positioned there is no restriction of involvement because the ball was last controled and played by the opponent aka the keeper!

Now once the lucky opponent touches/plays the ball although he is ok, his teammate is where in relationship to the goal line and the second last defender or the ball? If he is further away then the ball from the opposing goal line at the team mates interception he cannot be offside at that point.

While the team mate could be offside depending on where he is at the player's interception touch of the ball it is not an offence to be offside unless you involve yourself in active play! So a shot and the offside team mates dives out of the way could be a good goal but a shot or pass where the offside positioned team mate involves himself in play could turn the keeper gift into an attacking gift and an INDFK loss of possession.

Remember though players move about as the ball moves so what looks like something might not be the way it was originally.

Cheers