Question Number: 25943

Law 11 - Offside 2/1/2012

RE: comp Under 18

tien of walnut creek, ca us asks...

A1 onside, heads ball over defending keeper coming out. Not sure if keeper glazed ball. Ball hits crossbar back to A1 who is closest to goal & all players, & heads it in. A1 Offside ?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
No, this cannot be offside. A1 has in effect played the ball to himself via the frame of the goal. Any contact by the goalkeeper is irrelevant in this particular scenario.
For offside to be a factor the ball must be played / touched by a team mate to the player in an offside position.
So for example if A1 headed the ball and the ball deflects off the GK onto the frame of the goal and it rebounds back to A2 who is in an offside position then that is offside when A2 touches the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Whenever A1 was the last player on her team to touch the ball, A1 cannot be guilty of offside. A1 is entitled to play the ball. Offside position is only measured when a teammate touches the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

There is no second touch issue here, since the ball was already in play. If the player was onside when the original header took place, then he continues to be onside until such time as a teammate plays the ball and the player who did the header is now in an OSP.

No offside offense here.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

A1 cannot be offside in your scenario. Why? Offside is only judged when the ball is played or touched by a teammate. Since A1 initially played the ball, not a teammate, he is free to continue playing the ball until it is touched or played by a teammate.

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