Question Number: 27406

Law 11 - Offside 5/6/2013

RE: Competive Club High School

Smith of Aurora, Illinois USA asks...

Offsides question.

Team A has 2 players on the post for the corner kick. Team B plays the ball in from the corner, the 2 players from Team A stay on the post, their GK is in front of them.

The ball is now in play, An Attacker from Team B runs inbetween the GK and the 2 players on the post, is the Attacker from Team B in a offsides position, if the balls is played to them after the corner kick?

Is the GK the 2nd to last defender in this scenario?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Smith
The referee has to determine who is the 2nd last opponent based on when the ball is played / touch by a team mate of the player. As described the two defenders on the goal line are the 2nd last opponents are they are nearer to the goal line than the goalkeeper. That can and does change based on the movement of the defending players.
By the way a player cannot be offside directly from a corner kick. Offside can only apply on a subsequent touch / play of the ball by the attacking side.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The goal keeper may be the 2TL defender for purpose of determining offside position.

But, when there are two defenders on the goal line, they will be counted. It also means that if they remain there, each time the ball is touched or played by an opposing player, no opponent will be in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

In your scenario, the goalkeeper is the 3rd to last opponent, so she doesn't enter the offside equation at all. The two players standing by the goalposts define the offside line.

So when the attacker is between the two defenders and the keeper, the attacker is still not in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The two players on the goal line prevent any possibility of offside.