Controversy over lead-up to England goal as Norway knocked out of World Cup

A goal kick appeared to clip a cable over the field late in the first half of the England-Norway match in the World Cup quarter-finals, shortly before England’s Jude Bellingham scored the tying goal. Bellingham went on to score again, this time the match-winner in extra time as England ground out a 2-1 win over a battling Norway side at Miami Stadium. But England’s fourth trip to the World Cup semi-finals was hit by controversy over the lead-up to their first goal.

By rule, if the ball had been noticed hitting the cable, play would have stopped and a drop ball would have been utilised to determine possession. FIFA, more than an hour afterward, said there was “no evidence” that the ball hit the wire – citing technology in the ball. “Before England’s goal ...

the sensor in the connected ball showed no peak in the ‘heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball,” FIFA said. It’s unclear when or how FIFA reviewed that data. The match was not interrupted and it was not even known if the video assistant referee, Jerome Brisard, reviewed the play.

Brisard was also in the VAR role for the Argentina-Egypt match in the quarter-finals, one where Argentina rallied to win 3-2 and Egypt complained that officiating was unfair. Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland took the kick to start the play in question Saturday, which was controlled by England seconds after the trajectory of the ball changed, suggesting it brushed one of the cables used to suspend a robotically controlled camera. The ball was eventually played to Bellingham, who beat Nyland with a low shot to the far post.

Nyland slapped the turf in frustration and he, Norway star striker Erling Haaland and coach Stale Solbakken had words for referee Clement Turpin of France after the play and going into half-time. In the Argentina-Egypt game, the Egyptians had goal taken off the scoreboard in the 58th minute after a VAR review determined that Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez. Andreas Schjelderup had opened the scoring for Norway with a wonder strike in the 36th minute.

Norway will feel they deserved more out of the game, even if England kept Erling Haaland scoreless for the first time in his last 16 matches for his country, and will exit their first World Cup in 28 years with heads held high. Perhaps because of the stifling heat, the first half was a cagey affair but Norway exploded into life when Julian Ryerson crossed for Haaland to head the ball at goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 35th minute. A minute later, Patrick Berg stripped Harry Kane of possession near halfway and released Schjelderup down the left, the winger turning makeshift England full back Ezri Konsa inside out before crashing a shot-cum-cross into the net.

England were rattled and Norway took full advantage with Alexander Sorloth hitting a rising drive over the bar and Martin Odegaard drilling in a low shot that Pickford parried away. They should have doubled their lead in the 44th minute when they briefly had a two-on-one inside the England half but Sorloth decided not to pass to Haaland and the defenders recovered their ground to snuff out the danger. Norway would regret their profligacy in stoppage time at the end of the half when Bellingham conjured up an equaliser of real quality from Anthony Gordon’s clever ball across the edge of the box.

Bellingham took one touch to steer the ball into the area, another to take him past a defender, before turning to whip it across goalkeeper Nyland into the far corner of the net. The remainder of the half was all England with Kane getting the ball into the net again only to be adjudged offside, a decision confirmed by VAR. VAR was again called upon 10 minutes into the second half when Torbjorn Heggem thought he had put Norway in front from a corner, his goal scratched off for a shove by Haaland on Elliot Anderson.

Norway’s introduction of pacey winger Oscar Bobb in the 67th minute triggered another period of dominance with England fortunate not to concede when David Moller Wolfe headed the ball over Pickford and on to the bar. England’s right-wing substitute Bukayo Saka then came close to helping his team take the lead with a dangerous cross that flashed across goal in the 78th minute but Norway were soon back on the attack. Saka, though, carved out another great chance in the 87th minute when he got to the byline and fired a low cross across the box that none of his teammates were able to get to.

England substitute Djed Spence caught Nyland napping in possession towards the end of normal time but the second half was destined to finish goalless. Three minutes into extra time, though, Morgan Rogers fired a long-range shot at the Norwegian goal that Orjan Nyland could only parry and Bellingham stole in to bury the rebound, delighting the white-shirted fans in the crowd of 64,478. England will face Argentina or Switzerland in Atlanta on Wednesd