Play of the week: POR vs COL

PRO Training & Development Manager Paul Rejer looks at an offside decision from Portland Timbers versus Colorado Rapids in this week’s Play of the week.

Paul explained: “Last week’s Play of the week featured the Offside Law and one of the three definitions of when a player can be active by interfering with an opponent. This week, we are focusing on another definition – gaining an advantage by being in that position.

“The law definition is; ‘Gaining an advantage by being in that position’ means playing a ball,

“(i) that rebounds or is deflected to him off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent having been in an offside position.

“(ii) that rebounds, 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 the play from the match between the Timbers and the Rapids, Edson Buddle of Colorado is in an offside position when the ball is played forward.

“AR Fabio Tovar has to decide whether Portland defender Mamadou Danso deliberately played the ball or whether it rebounded or deflected off him to Buddle.

“It is clear that Danso’s foot is raised but does not deliberately play the ball as the ball hits him and is deflected to Edson Buddle, who is correctly declared offside as he has gained an advantage by being in that position.”