Question Number: 28291

Law 11 - Offside 3/30/2014

RE: U14 Boys Under 15

John of Boonsboro, MD US asks...

During the late stages of a game we had a fast break. The player with the ball tried to shoot on goal since the keeper was up. During this play the attacking player to the shooters left was in an offsides position. The ball that was shot deflected off of the keeper, the player that was in the offsides position then sprinted to ball and took ball from keeper and scored winning goal. Goal was called back because AR said offsides player gained an unfair advantage from position therefore goal was not allowed. Is this the right call?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Yes that was the correct call.
One of the ways a player can be called offside under Law 11 is "gaining an advantage by being in that position" . What that means is a player in an offside position at the original play / touch by his team mate will be called offside when the PIOP plays the ball that
'' 1. rebounds or is deflected to him off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent having been in an offside position
2. rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by an opponent having been in an offside position
A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent, who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save), is not considered to have gained an advantage.''
In your scenario condition 2 would apply.
The learning point for your forward is that to stay in an onside position he should either remain behind the ball or have a 2nd opponent between himself and the goal line. When the 2nd opponent is not present then he should stay behind the ball which is the only way once in the opponents' half.
While the attached presentation is now dated due the this years changes to Law 11 nonetheless it explains the principle of the condition of ""gaining an advantage by being in that position"" See slides 27 to 31
http://www.fifa.com/lotg/football/en/flash/start.html

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Yes. A player in offside position when the ball was last touched by a teammate may not participate in play even after the ball deflects off (or from a deliberate save by) the keeper.