Controversy Surrounds England Equaliser
Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken expressed concerns that an overhead cable may have been struck by the ball before Jude Bellingham’s equaliser in the World Cup quarter-final match against England. Replays appeared to show the ball making contact with a cable following a Norway goal-kick, though FIFA stated that a sensor within the ball indicated no such contact occurred.
Solbakken confronted French referee Clément Turpin at half-time regarding the incident. He stated that the referee had not seen the contact himself and had not received any notification of it. According to Solbakken, if the ball had indeed hit a cable, play should have resumed with a drop ball. The Norway coach noted that the ball fell directly in front of his bench, suggesting contact had taken place, and that everyone present witnessed it.
Despite his team’s 2-1 loss after extra time, Solbakken acknowledged the bizarre nature of the event as part of football. He accepted the outcome, stating that his team had given their all and that the players had been phenomenal throughout the tournament. He concluded by saying that the game would not be replayed, and they must accept the situation.
FIFA’s Stance and England’s Response
FIFA released a statement addressing the incident, confirming that the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in its ‘heartbeat’ when in the air before England’s goal. This indicated no evidence of the ball touching the overhead wire or changing its movement. These cables are used to support a robotically controlled camera system.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel mentioned that he was aware of the suggestions regarding the cable contact. He referenced the ball’s chip technology, noting its ability to detect even minimal contact, as was seen in a previous game between Croatia and Portugal where an equaliser was disallowed due to the ball flicking a player’s hair.
Bellingham’s equaliser came after Andreas Schjelderup had opened the scoring for Norway. Bellingham then secured the winning goal in extra time, marking his second double of the tournament. This performance helped England advance to the semi-finals, where they are scheduled to play either Argentina or Switzerland.
Match Details and Player Reactions
The match, played in Miami, saw England secure a 2-1 extra-time victory. Bellingham’s two goals brought his tournament tally to six, placing him level with Harry Kane. Erling Haaland, despite his goal count, had a limited impact for Norway in the challenging conditions of Florida.
Norway had earlier opportunities to extend their lead, including a moment when Alexander Sorloth failed to pass to Haaland during a counter-attack. Bellingham’s decisive goal came from close range after a spill from Norway’s goalkeeper Orjan Nyland following a long-range shot from substitute Morgan Rogers.
Following the match, Thomas Tuchel expressed dissatisfaction with England’s performance, despite the result. He noted that the team made the game difficult for themselves due to sloppy play and tactical errors, stating that the quality of their game needed to improve. Bellingham, when asked about Tuchel’s comments, acknowledged the difficulty of the match and praised his teammates’ efforts. Harry Kane also responded to Tuchel’s criticism, suggesting that the coach’s desire for improvement, even in a semi-final setting, could be a positive aspect for the team moving forward. England’s semi-final fixture is set to take place on Wednesday in Atlanta.
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Source: theguardian.com
Sam Whitlock is a Sports News Writer at News-GB.org. He moved from local newspapers into digital sport. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Gloucestershire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Gloucester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight game. “Clarity beats cleverness in breaking sport news.”