Question Number: 25488

Law 11 - Offside 9/24/2011

RE: Rec Under 10

Robert of Overland park, KS USA asks...

Today a shot was taken by our attacker on their goal. He was onsides when he shot. The ball bounced off the right post and in front of another attacker who shot and scored but the goal was nullified and offsides called.

Is that offsides? Is the ball not free after it bounces off the post?

Thank you -

Robert

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The second attacker must have been in an offside position when the first player took the shot on goal. He cannot become involved in play, and the offside call was correct.

Hitting the goal does NOT nullify offside. It is the third way of becoming offside - by taking advantage of the offside position when the ball rebounds off the goal or a defender.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No. The ball hitting the goal changes nothing, in fact if the ball deflects or rebounds off an opponent, that changes nothing.

Offside is judged when the ball is touched or played by a teammate. If the second attacker was in an offside position when his teammate shot the ball, he may not play the ball until offside resets. Offside only resets when:
1. The ball goes out of play
2. The ball is CONTROLLED by the opponents
3. The ball is touched or played by a teammate

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Robert
The answer lies in the position of the scoring attacker at the moment of the 1st shot that struck the frame of the goal. If the scoring player was in an offside position at the time of the shot the referee determines that the player is "gaining an advantage by being in that position" means playing a ball that
rebounds to him off a goalpost or the crossbar having been in an offside
position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having
been in an offside position. That must be called offside.