Offsides in Soccer!
One of the most confusing or disputed calls during a soccer game is the Offsides call.
Offsides Position: A player is in the offsides postion at the point a ball is played forward if he/she does not have 2 people closer to the goal line. This usually is the goalie and a defender. In the rare occasion a goalie attempts to make a play away from the goal area then there must be two defenders closer to the goal line if the ball is played forward. It is not an offense to be in the offside position. A player is not considered to be offsides if the ball is played forward prior to them passing the 2nd to the last defender. A player is also not considered offside if he/she is on their own half of the field when the ball is played forward, regardless of where the opponents are located.
Offsides: Offside is whistled if a player is in the offside position described above when a ball is played forward to them. A ball not played to the player in the offside position can be waived off if the referee does not feel the player is involved in the play or is indifferent. Offsides is not called if no forward pass is made. However, a player can be called for offsides if the ball is shot on goal by a team member and the player in the offside position gains an advantage of the rebound. At no time can a player interfere with the Keeper whether onsides or not. If a goal is scored while a player in the offsides position is considered to be in a position that interferes with a keepers attempt to make a save the play can be whistled and the goal disallowed.
The Assistant Referee is usually even with the last defender in order to make the call. By raising the flag straight up, he signals that a player was in the offside position when the ball was played. The referee makes the decision on whether or not to whistle for the offsides.
See the video below for an explanation on the offsides call.
