Question Number: 26822

Law 11 - Offside 9/24/2012

RE: Amateur Adult

Hector Moreno of Morelia, Michoacan Mexico asks...

A couple of scenarios
1.- An attacking player gets out of the field by the goal line after running down the wing and passing the ball, the defenders clear and get go forward leaving him offside but still putside the field. a shot comes and the keeper rejects, the player outside the field comes back and scores, does the goal stand since he was outside the field and no offside can be given? or did he took advantage even though he was not on the field.

2. a defender clears the ball and by the movement goes outside the field by the goal line, the defenders go forward but an attacking player stays in the box, the ball comes back to him while the defender is still outside the field, does this count as an offside? or since the defender can come back to try to take the ball from him oes the play continue?
thank you

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Hector
The goal cannot be allowed as the player is offside. For the purpose of the offside the player is placed on the goal line if behind the goal or on the point of the touchline nearest to the player for determining offside.
So in this situation the player is in an offside position and he has gained an advantage by being in that position' from the rebound off the goalkeeper.
On your second question it also works the other way in that a defender is similarly placed on the goal line or touchline when off the field of play. So the AR makes a decision based on the position of the attacker relative to the 2nd last opponent who can be temporarily off the field of play. The difference is that a defender can be cautioned should the referee determined that it was done deliberately to place an opponent in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Players temporarily off the field of play under normal playing conditions are considered to be on the goal line (or touch line if they went off the side) for purposes of offside. This applies to both defenders and attackers.