Question Number: 23998

Law 11 - Offside 9/23/2010

RE: select Adult

shankar of sanquelim, Goa India asks...

when the player of the team a is outside the line of the goal post and the goal keeper of the team a is in side the post and if the player of team b score the goal will u call it as off side or goal

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Shankar
If a player from the defending team is off the field of play behind the goal line temporarily during play, that player is adjudged to be on the goal line in determining offside. So player B in your scenario would have the goalkeeper A and player A between himself and the goal line so he is not in an offside position.
If player A steps off the field of play deliberately to try to place player B in an offside position then play continues as there is no offside and player A is cautioned at the next stoppage for his actions

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

A defender who is temporarily off the field over the goal line in the course of play is considered to be on the goal line for purposes of judging an offside offense. In the case you outline, the opponent is onside because he has two defenders between him and the goal.

If the defender thought he was clever by deliberately stepping off the field to put an opponent in an offside position, he is not only wrong about that, but will receive a caution for his unsporting action.