Question Number: 28690

Law 11 - Offside 8/27/2014

RE: Competitive Under 15

Aaron Speca of Virginia Beach, VA 23456 asks...

I have too much video to track down these two specific occurrences involving offsides, so I will need to recount them by memory! These occurred in Fall 2013 (I now understand that may make a difference in interpretation then versus today).

(1) White team gains possession of the ball in their half and kicks a long ball well past the center line. At the time the ball is struck, the blue team's defenders are lined up along the center line, and all three white team forwards are beyond center (in offsides position). The keeper, who is playing at the top of the box, sprints out to play the long ball. By the time she gets to the ball (she does reach it first), she takes one touch and finds herself surrounded (at a distance of just a few feet or yards) by the three ORPs. She does the smart and safe thing (really her only option at that point) and drills the ball directly out of bounds with her second touch. Call on field: Throw in white.

Although she did reach the ball first, she had to race to do so, and it seemed clear to me that the white team gained an advantage from starting the play in offside position. Could this have met the criteria for an offside violation?

(2) White team gets a free kick from about 40 yards out. Blue team's defense runs a trap, sprinting forward just before the kick. White is caught flatfooted with about five players stuck in offside position at the strike of the ball, but they still follow the ball into the box. The free kick is a high one, and by the time the keeper gets under it, she has tall players around her and leaps to try to catch it. The ball goes off her hands to one of the ORPs who taps the ball into the open net. Call on field: Goal.

Again, it appears that white gained an advantage by having players in offside position although the keeper was the first to touch the ball.

Appreciate your insights!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Aaron, so are you signed up for the referee course yet?? lol

One can SORT of play advantage, in the keeper gets to ball first scenarios, by holding down the offside flag, but it sounds as if the proximity of the offside attackers could have involved a collision of sorts by the ORPs?l *(sounds like a group of attack trolls ! )lol

Given there was no onside attacker here in the mix, I see this as a likely indfk out for offside. Of course the AR or referee may have thought she had lots of time and could have cleared the ball easily on her first touch and her second touch was her own fault.

Still hard to think the indfk up near the centre line is not better than the opportunity for a one time clearance IF under pressure. I generally let the offside slide if the keeper has an easy possession in the hands within the penalty area or no pressure around if outside the area.

The law still allow that when ONLY an offside player is in pursuit and only an offside player ever has a chance to make contact with the ball while it is still in play then raise the flag to prevent a collision or a play on the ball FIFA QUOTE start" A player in an offside position may be penalised before playing or touching the ball, if, in the opinion of the referee, no other team-mate in an onside position has the opportunity to play the ball."FIFA QUOTE end

Second is a no brainer offside involvement by offside positioned players (interfering with opponent) assuming it was them surrounding her ! All criteria is clearly met even prior to the deflection save which is not going to reset offside (gaining an advantage) at all.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

When a ball is played long and it appears to be heading directly to the keeper, it is common (and advisable) to keep the flag down. In most cases, the keeper will grab the ball and the game can progress without the need to stop play, move the ball to the right place, and then have the defender kick it. But, if there is any chance of a collision between player and the keeper, it is far better to stop play. No one should wait for the collision.

The more difficult issue is presented in your first example. The players running toward the ball in offside position may be far enough away that they did not hinder the keeper's ability to see or play the ball. Presence and moving is not enough.

The second example is a textbook case of interfering with a defender. The players are very near the keeper, and hinders the keeper's ability to see or play the ball. Moreover, what happens next is a textbook example of gaining an advantage. After the keeper made a deliberate save, the players in offside position are not eligible to play the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Aaron
On the first one it is questionable as to whether the on rushing attackers interfered with an opponent in this case the goalkeeper. The advice is to ARs is to wait and see what develops or if there is a chance of a collision then flag the offside. There may have been enough doubt here that there was not going to be contact or that the players in an offside position interfered with the goalkeeper as she played the ball. From your description there is a possibility of offside but it could be viewed otherwise particularly when the GK had time to take a touch. Surprising how far a player can travel in the time taken for a touch followed by a kick
On the 2nd one based on your description it could be offside. It can be offside in a number of ways either by interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in that position. When the GK jumped for the ball the PIOP by challenging 'around her' was interfering perhaps by clearly obstructing her line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceived or distracts her. If they are just standing there then that is a different matter. Since July 2014 Law 11 has now changed in that it either is a challenge or line of sight for interfering with an opponent to be called
Now on the next part I make the assumption that the ball rebounded / deflected from her at the save. That does not reset the offside in which case it is gaining an advantage by being in that position when a PIOP touches the rebound / deflection.
Now I can also envisage a situation where the GK goes up to catch the ball with players in an offside position around her that do nothing and then when she has caught the ball drops it to an opponent. That can be seen as no offside offence just poor goalkeeping. Law 11 is not there to make up for mistakes through poor defending or goalkeeping.