Question Number: 17965

Law 11 - Offside 11/20/2007

RE: Adult

paul cowlishaw of mexborough, uk asks...

If an attacking player is one on one with a goal keeper with no defenders in sight and he rolls the ball backwards to a fellow player across from him (but behind) and this player taps the ball into the empty net. Is this offside?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If a player is behind the ball, he is not in an offside position. So assuming your "(but behind)" description indicates his position at the time the ball is rolled to him by the teammate, there is no offside position and consequently there cannot be an offside infringment.

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No Paul it's not. You're remembering the next to last defender part of offside position but forgetting about the BALL. It doesn't matter how many opponents an attacker has passed, if he's even with or behind (as in this case) the ball he can NEVER be in offside position. This is a good play and a valid goal.

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Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If the ball comes from a someplace between the goal line and the player after having been touched or played by a team mate there can be no offside offence because there has been no offside position established.

Regards,

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