Offsides Call During US vs. Nigeria World Cup Game

I had a question regarding the offsides call on the header goal that was called back in the US/Nigeria game.  The announcers and the rules expert (announcer) were saying that it was not offsides, even though the center referee and AR called offsides.   Has offsides infractions been modified recently in FIFA rules?   The US Player (Should have taken the shot herself) passed the ball to the her team mate who looked slightly behind her, but for both US players there was only the goalie in front of them, no other defender.  Was it offsides because there were not two opposing players between the US players and the goal, or was it offsides because it was a forward pass to a player who became offsides due to not having two opposing players between her and the goal?   Also, would this call be made in youth level games?

Originally the Announcers didn't think she was offsides because in the replay from the side she looked slightly behind the player that was passing... but at halftime when they went back and looked at it from a different camera angle (it was an overhead camera angle) they saw the receiving player (shooter/scorer) was indeed in front of the passer (albeit just ever so slightly) so the AR and Ref did get the call right.

If she had been behind the passing player, but only the goalie in front of her, then it would have been onsides?

As long as you (complete body including arms/legs/even a hand, etc) are behind the ball when the pass is made, you are not offside regardless of defender position. Part of her body was slightly in front of the ball, thus offside. Ref got it right...darn it! That's why there is never an offside call on a corner - because you are passing it from the endline. The entire defending team can go stand at the halfline, and you would not be offside.
The only exception to this rule is on a throw-in. There is no offside on a throw.

Thanks for the explanation.  I assumed the Ref and AR were from NTX and got the call wrong.

*wink

10sDad wrote:As long as you (complete body including arms/legs/even a hand, etc) are behind the ball when the pass is made, you are not offside regardless of defender position.  Part of her body was slightly in front of the ball, thus offside.  Ref got it right...darn it!  That's why there is never an offside call on a corner - because you are passing it from the endline.  The entire defending team can go stand at the halfline, and you would not be offside.
The only exception to this rule is on a throw-in.  There is no offside on a throw.

Parts of the body that cannot legally play the ball - hands, arms - are not considered when judging offside.  Legs, feet, torso, head... yes.

The player will be  judged offside if at the time of the last touch by her teammate, she is on the attacking end of the field, behind the next to last defender and ahead of the BALL, and interferes with play, interferes with an opponent or gains advantage by her position.

Also, there is no offside on a goal kick.