Question Number: 27866

Law 11 - Offside 10/10/2013

RE: rec Under 15

Daniel of vienna, va us asks...

How do you handle a situation where this is a scramble in the goal box... and players end up inside the goal-net area... an attacking player gathers the ball and scores, but is in an offsides position as there are no defenders between him and the goal-posts. (let's say they are in the net area). Is this an Offsides call or not? How do you handle these situations?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Any players over the goal line are counted as being on the goal line for purposes of determining offside. The only time this doesn't apply is if a player is off the field with the permission of the referee - for an injury perhaps - and would need the permission of the ref to re-enter.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Players who are over the goal line (inside the net or outside) count as being on the goal line for the purposes of offside. You can't be 'more off' than another player - they're all on the goal line.

So if an attacker and a defender are both inside the net, they're both equally on the goal line. If an attacker and 2 defenders are on the goal line (or over it), then the attacker isn't offside.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Daniel
The referee and assistant mentally places any player, both attackers and defenders, off the field of play on the goal line in determining offside in these goalmouth scrambles. If the attacker off the field of play does not interfere with play or with an opponent then there can be no offside.
In the case you cite where the defenders are in the net area then they are technically placed on the goal line and the offside decision is made on that basis.
So let's say that there are two defenders in the net area. In that case there cannot be any offside as there are two defending opponents between any attacker and the goal line. Even an attacker in the net cannot be offside either as he is placed on the goal line with the two opponents which makes him level and onside.
Here is an example which roughly explain the principle by placing the Blue player in the net area rather than to the side of the goals. Note that the Italian goalkeeper knocks his Blue team mate over the goal line. It looks like the Dutch scorer is offside yet he has the goalkeeper plus the Blue defender (on the ground) between himself and the goal line as the Blue defender is placed on the goal line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePFjXxbJdz0

While this might seem unfair it does away with the defender moving off the FOP to place attackers in an offside position or not returning in these situations again for offside purposes.
If there is a serious injury the referee should stop play and that is a judgement call.