Sandy, Utah - On Friday, much controversy aroused on the first goal scored in the Real Salt Lake - San Jose match when Chris Wondolowski appeared to be in an offside position when prior to scoring the goal. We break down the laws and take a look at whether or not the correct call was made.
Fans shouted out in frustration and disbelief at Rio Tinto as the assistant referee refused to raise his flag for offside and jogged back to the center of the field to signify it was a good goal after Wondolowski shot the ball into the back of the net in the 19th minute of the match.
While fans may feel that he was offside for the play, let’s take an in-depth look at Law number 11, offside. Quoted from page 108 in the FIFA Laws of the game-
“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.”
On the play, Shea Salinas takes the shot but it is deliberately touched by Kyle Beckerman who tried to deflect the ball away, by doing so per the laws of the game that places Wondolowski, who was in an offside position back onside and the goal was allowed to stand as it should have.
Had Beckerman not tried to play the ball and instead just let it go through the goal then would have been not allowed to stand and the offside call would have been called. But by sticking that leg out and getting the touch on the ball it makes the call correct and play allowed to stand.
Applause must be made to Sorin Stoica and his crew who made the correct call on the play even under hostile conditions against the home squad. As for the rest of the game, we will not even touch on that.