Question Number: 16597

Law 11 - Offside 9/8/2007

RE: Rec Under 17

Fuad of los altos, ca usa asks...

Three part offside question:

A1, A2 are attackers. Both A1, A2 are ahead of all the defenders except the defending GK.

1) A1 has the ball, while trying to score he instead pass it to A2, who then scores.

Decision: Offside, the goal is canceled. Is this correct?

2) A1 has the ball, he shoots at the goal, the GK tried to block the ball, he tips the ball which then reaches A2, who then scores.

Decision: Offside. The goal is canceled. Is this correct?

3) A1 has the ball, he shoots at the goal, the ball bounces off the GK and comes back to A2, who then scores.

Decision: Offside. The goal is canceled. Is this correct?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

In all three cases there is insufficient information for offside position to be determined. You do not stipulate where A2 is in relation to the ball and that is the determining factor here, not that he has only one opponent between him and the goal.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Each one of your questions depends entirely on the position of A2 in relation to the ball and his teammate. If he is ahead of the ball when his teammate kicks it, then anytime he plays the ball in situation 1-3, he is offside. If he is even or behind the ball when his teammate kicks it, all three would be goals. You were perhaps looking for an answer that said the goalkeeper's touch reset the offside, but it cannot if he does not control the ball, and a deflection such as you describe in situation 2 & 3 are not control.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

We need to know where A2 is at the moment the ball touches his teammate. Without knowing this...the question cannot be answered.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 16635