In this article, we are highlighting a no-offside decision that was made by the assistant referee in the game between DC United and FC Dallas. As the video clip rather indisputably shows, when the ball was played , Blas Perez of FC Dallas was clearly in an offside position. However, as all referees and students of the Laws of the Game should know, simply being in an offside position is not an offense. The Laws of the Game require more. Thus, before we start passing our judgment on the assistant referee’s decision, let’s review waht happened (see video below), analyze the applicable law and then apply it to the situation at hand.

I. LAW 11 – OffSIDE

The Laws of the Game, and Law 11 in particular, provide in their relevant sections the following:

Offside position

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.

A player is in an offside position if:

he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent

A player is not in an offside position if:

he is in his own half of the field of play or

he is level with the second-last opponent or

he is level with the last two opponents

Offence

A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:

interfering with play or

interfering with an opponent or

gaining an advantage by being in that position

II. LAW 11 INTERPRETATIONS & GUIDANCE

In connection with Law 11, IFAB provided further clarifications and interpretations for the following relevant term:

“gaining an advantage by being in that position” [i.e. in an offside position] means playing a ball that rebounds to him off a goalpost or the crossbar having been in an offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position

Moreover, the following two pertinent graphical interpretations for the “gaining advantage” term used in Law 11 were provided:

Finally, in their Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game, USSF explained that gaining advantage by being in an offside position “also means being near enough to the play to capitalize immediately on a defender’s mistake, having gained the advantage solely by being in the offside position. It is most often seen in situations where the ball rebounds from the crossbar, goalposts, or keeper (whose contact with the ball is not controlled).” USSF also stated that a player may become “onside”, and should not be penalized for being in an offside position, whenever (i) the ball is again touched or played by a teammate, (ii) the ball is played by an opponent and (iii) the ball goes out of play. In any of these three situations, Referees must re-evaluate whether a player who was initially in an offside position became “onside.” Crucially, however, USSF explained that for a player to become onside – and for the referee to re-evaluate the possible offside punishment – when the ball is played by an opponent, the ball must be “possessed and controlled, not simply deflected, miskicked or misdirected” by the opponent.

II. ANALYSIS & APPLICATION

Now that we have all provisions of Law 11 laid out, let’s analyze and apply them to the situation at hand.

A. Offside Position

There can be no doubt that when the ball was played, FC Dallas Striker Blas Perez was in an offside position. After all, he was “nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.“

B. Offence

The more complicated question is whether Perez was involved in active play by gaining an advantage by being in an offside position. As noted above, “gaining advantage by being in an offside position” means “playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position” or “being near enough to the play to capitalize immediately on a defender’s mistake, having gained the advantage solely by being in the offside position.” While USSF stated that a player in an offside position may become “onside” when the ball is played by an opponent, the ball must be “possessed and controlled, not simply deflected, miskicked or misdirected” by an opponent.” Touching the ball, as one of the commentators erroneously explained, does not “reset” the play and puts a player in an “onside” position. Put it simply, the ball must be deliberately played by a defender for a forward in an offside position to become “onside.”

In the situation at hand, the DC United defender had no possession or control of the ball.

He simply miskicked or misdirected the ball that was played toward Perez and Perez was “near enough to the play to capitalize immediately on a defender’s mistake.” This fits squarely within the definition of “gaining advantage by being in an offise position” as interpreted by IFAB and USSF. Therefore, Perez should have been adjudged as being in an offside position and that his goal should have been disallowed.

III. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we want to note that gaining an advantage as an offside offence is rare and can be easily missed. Players – and sometimes referees – tend to forget how the play started. It can also be very difficult to determine whether the ball was actually possessed, controlled or merely deflected off of an opponent. And all of these decisions must be made in a split second. For this reason, it is important for referees to be thoroughly familiar with the Law of Offside and be always alert during the game.