Former referee says Diego Costa’s goal was wrongly disallowed in Atlético-MG x Botafogo and explains why

Former referee and referee commentator at the last World Cup, Rafael Porcari explained on his blog that the goal of Diego Costa em Atlético-MG 1 x 0 Botafogolast Saturday, at Arena MRV, at Brazilian championship, was badly canceled. He justified it using excerpts from the rule.

– In Minas Gerais, at the end of the match between Galo and Fogão, Diego Costa (BFR) is in an offside position, alone in the area, and while his team is attacking, he shows that he abdicates from playing, he does not try to receive it nor does it interfere against an opponent (i.e.: passive offside). He leaves his position when the ball is thrown by Luis Henrique (BFR) and goes past him. The moment Maurício Lemos (CAM) touches it, Diego is no longer in an offside position (as there are two athletes between the ball and the baseline – the defender and the goalkeeper) – he began.

– Thus, it was not the fact that the touch was deliberate or not on the part of the athlete that enabled it (Maurício participates in the play creating a new moment with this touch whether voluntary or not towards Diego, as he sought the ball), but rather the legal playing position itself (When the opponent’s touch occurred, there would only be a concern about whether it was “deliberate or not” if he was still in an offside position – but he was no longer there). So: cool goal – he wrote.

Rafael Porcari also cited the section of the rule that says that “if the pass, the attempt to gain possession of the ball or the movement to remove it by the player who has control of the ball is inaccurate or unsuccessful, this does not nullify the fact that this player ‘deliberately touched’ the ball.