Question Number: 26484

Law 11 - Offside 6/21/2012

RE: High School

Dony Rivas of North Hollywood, CA United States asks...

In the 2011 Gold Cup, Guatemala vs Mexico, the second goal for Mexico was a cross from Barrera which was deflected by a Guatemalan Defender, then backheeled in by Chicharito. was Chicharito in the offside position?
Link to goal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dCnyfDqiLs

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dony
From the view shown here it would appear to me that Hernandez was level with the 2nd last opponent when the ball was played by his team mate at frame 41 so he was not in an offside position when the ball was played.
It then makes no difference where he touches the ball which can be in an offside position as he has run from an onside position after the ball was played. Any deflection of the ball off a Guatemalan defender is irrelevant and if he was in an offside position that deflection would not have made him onside.
Good forwards are trained to position themselves on the shoulder of opponents and their movement is delayed / timed to after the ball being played.
IMO it was good AR work to allow this goal as there would have been a strong temptation to flag for offside. There has been a few of those in the Euro Championship and they are difficult calls for ARs

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Being an AR at this level is harder than being the referee (actually, that's most often the case, regardless of the level). The question is where was the Chicharito when the ball was kicked by his teammate? It appears he was onside, and thus he remains onside regardless of whether the defense plays or deflects the ball. Good, brave call by the AR.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

From the clip it's impossible to say for sure but he looks even with the next to last opponent which would put him onside. I can't see the AR being able to tell for sure so the flag should stay down