Miami: Norway coach claims ball struck cable before England equaliser
Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken has stated that the ball made contact with an overhead cable before England‘s equaliser in their World Cup quarter-final match. The incident occurred during the build-up to Jude Bellingham‘s goal, which brought England level in a game they eventually won 2-1 after extra time.
Replays from the match appeared to show a Norway goal-kick hitting a cable. However, Fifa released a statement indicating that a sensor within the ball showed no evidence of contact. Solbakken confronted the French referee, Clément Turpin, at half-time regarding the potential incident, suggesting that if the ball had struck a cable, the game should have restarted with a drop ball.
Solbakken recounted that the referee did not see the incident himself and received no message confirming it. He acknowledged that since Fifa‘s data showed no touch, the referee could not act. Despite this, Solbakken maintained that the ball clearly dropped straight down, stating, “Everyone saw what happened. I think it’s pretty clear that it did.”
The Norway coach described the situation as “bizarre” and “unlucky” for his team, noting that the ball’s change in direction led to a misunderstanding among his players. He accepted the outcome, stating that the game would not be replayed and that such events are part of football.
The overhead cables are used to support a robotically controlled camera system. Fifa‘s statement clarified that the sensor in the Connected Ball registered no peak in its ‘heartbeat’ when in the air, indicating no contact with the overhead wire that would have altered the ball’s movement.
England‘s head coach, Thomas Tuchel, was aware of the claims but referenced the ball’s chip technology, which he said could detect even a slight touch. He drew a parallel to a previous game where a Croatia equaliser was disallowed after the ball reportedly flicked a teammate’s hair.
The match saw Andreas Schjelderup put Norway ahead in the 36th minute. Bellingham then equalised on the stroke of half-time in normal play. In extra time, Bellingham scored again in the 93rd minute after a rebound from Orjan Nyland‘s save, securing England‘s place in the semi-finals against Argentina or Switzerland.
Despite the victory, Tuchel expressed dissatisfaction with England‘s performance, describing it as “lucky” and highlighting numerous technical mistakes. He engaged in a heated exchange with an interviewer, criticising his side’s display. Bellingham, however, defended his teammates, stating his appreciation for their effort.
Erling Haaland‘s father attributed Norway‘s defeat to the referee, pointing to the controversial equaliser and a disallowed goal for Norway that could have changed the outcome in normal time. Haaland himself was substituted at half-time during extra time, potentially due to a minor injury.
The match was played in Miami under challenging conditions, with England‘s players visibly exhausted at the final whistle. Jude Bellingham‘s two goals were crucial, bringing his tally to six in the tournament and drawing praise for his impact on the team.
Tuchel‘s post-match comments, despite his team’s progression, indicated a desire for significant improvement. He stressed that while he loves his team, they are capable of playing much better. England now faces a semi-final fixture.
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Source: theguardian.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
