Question Number: 26006

Law 11 - Offside 2/25/2012

RE: 7 Under 15

harry milligan of Skelmersdale, Weat Lancashire UK asks...

If there is only the defending goalkeeper and an attacking opponent in one half of the field can the attacker be offside?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Harry
Of course the player is in an offside position. To be in an onside position the player must have two opponents between him and the goal line. In this case he has only one, the goalkeeper.
The only option for the forward in this scenario is be in his own half and then he is in an onside position.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Yes. Offside position requires three things. When the ball was last played by a teammate:

1. Was the player in the opponent's half?
2. Was the player closer to the opponent's goal line than the ball?
3. Was the player closer to the opponent's goal line than the second last defender (2LD)?

When the 2LD is located in the player's half, the answer to Q#3 is true. The player is in offside position if #1 and #2 are also true

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Yes Harry, the attacker can be offside. the only way he is NOT offside if he is the one that carried the ball into the opponents' half.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Of course he can. A player is in an offside position if:

1. he is in the attacking half
2. he is nearer the opposing goal line then the next to last opponent
3. he is nearer the opposing goal line than the ball

if in an offside position, the player may not become actively involved in play when the ball is touched or played by a member of his team