the rule, as applied,

means that RVN was onside

BUT

1) the Italian did not leave the field of play in order to engineer an offside situation (it was probably to stop players stepping over the SIDELINES thus rendering an attacker offside)
2) RVN obviously DID gain an advantage by not having 2 players goalside of him (he was, to coin playground parlance, goal-hanging)

In effect the rule does not cater for the situation as it developed last night. Morally RVN was offside but as a different rule was applied the official decision was 'correct'.

PS Just because guidance for referees is published by an American website does not make it any less correct or accurate.

Posted By: jayson blair, Jun 10, 14:21:50