Question Number: 27966

Law 11 - Offside 11/3/2013

RE: Competitive Under 12

Paul Graham of San Ramon, CA USA asks...

Off-side question.

A player of the attacking team picks up the ball in midfield and dribbles toward goal, past the last line of defenders who are roughly midway between the center circle and the 18 yard box. She is joined before she breaks the last line of defense by another attacker who runs a yard or so to her right and in front of the attacker with the ball. They both run directly on goal in the same maintaining the same formation. The goalkeeper approaches and tries to close the attackers down. The player who dribbled from midfield shoots and scores.

Obviously the player with the ball was never in an offside position and if she was alone clearly the goal should stand. However, considering there were two players, one of which maintained an offside position throughout the attack and subsequently awarded goal, should it stand?

Thanks in advance.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Paul
There would be no offence here unless the attacker who is ahead of the ball in an offside position interfered with an opponent. Interfering in an offside context means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent?s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball.
As described that is unlikely to have happened so no offside should be the call.
Now from a coaching perspective that is not a good position for the team mate without the ball to be in. She cannot participate in play such as receive a pass and should the ball rebound from the goalkeeper or the frame the goal she could also not play the ball as that would be deemed to be offside.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

This is a valid goal. It is not an offense to be in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

First line of Law 11:
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
The player in offside position must actually do something to be guilty of an offense.