Question Number: 25421

Law 11 - Offside 9/12/2011

RE: competitive Under 11

Eileen Barros of Stevinson, California United States asks...

I will try to explain this as best I can. Team A tripped a Team B player. Referee blew whistle. Team B was given the ball, and was kicked from inside the field of play (indirect kick was called) Team B lined up three players to receive the ball. Team B players did not have any members from Team A between them and Team A keeper. Team B kicked the ball to the three Team B players. Team B players touched the ball, scored. Offside was called and NO score was allowed.

Is this enough information to allow for an answer on a goal or no goal?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Why an indirect free kick for a trip. That's a direct free kick foul. Regardless, from whT you describe, the 3 team B players were in an offside when the ball was played by a teammate so offside and no goal

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It sounds like the referee made the correct call. The offside law applies on a free kick after a foul.

This means that if at the moment the ball was kicked by Team B after the foul, any member of Team B was: (a) in the opponent's half; (b) closer to the opponent's goal line than the ball; AND (c) closer to the opponent's goal line than the second last defender, then the player(s) was in offside position. If a player in offside position then touched the ball, the referee should stop play, disallow any goal, and call the offside infringement. The defending team would be awarded an indirect free kick.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Eileen
From what you describe this was the correct decision. The kick from the free kick was the defining moment in determining offside. The player from Team B was closer to the goal than the ball and the second last defender at the moment of the kick and when he touched the ball that met all the conditions of offside.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Well aside from the fact that tripping is a *direct* free kick foul, not *indirect*, the rest of this scenario went down correctly.

The three players as described were lined up in an offside position. When one of them touched the ball he became involved in play and incurred an offside infraction.

Some people have the mistaken belief that offside does not apply at free kicks. That is totally incorrect. The only exceptions for offside are if the ball is received directly from a corner kick, goal kick or throw-in.