Norway’s head coach Ståle Solbakken argued that the ball hit an overhead cable before England’s Jude Bellingham scored an equaliser in their World Cup quarter-final match. This incident sparked controversy as replays suggested a possible interference.
FIFA responded by stating that the ball’s sensor detected no contact with the cable, and the referee did not see the incident. Despite Norway’s loss after extra time, Solbakken expressed frustration but acknowledged the unpredictable nature of football.
Norway’s head coach, Ståle Solbakken, complained that England had benefited from the ball hitting an overhead cable before Jude Bellingham equalised in the World Cup quarter-final.
Related coverage: Álvarez’s stunning extra-time strike secures Argentina’s place in World Cup semi-finals against England.
Replays appeared to show a Norway goal-kick hitting a cable in the buildup, although Fifa released a statement saying a sensor in the ball showed no evidence it had touched.
Solbakken, whose team lost 2-1 after extra time, confronted the French referee, Clément Turpin, on the pitch after the official had blown for half-time. If a cable had been hit the game should have restarted with a drop ball.
More context: Noskova triumphs at Wimbledon, joining ranks of Czech tennis champions.
“He said that he didn’t see it himself and that he didn’t get any message that it actually happened,” Solbakken said. “Since Fifa says that there was no touch, he can’t do anything about it. But the ball fell down straight in front of the bench, so it did. Everyone saw what happened. I think it’s pretty clear that it did. it was a strange thing.
“I can sit here and cry but I don’t want to do that. We have done everything we could – the players have been phenomenal throughout the tournament. OK it was bizarre but it’s part of football and why it is the best sport in the world because things like that can happen. We have to accept it.
Also read: Linda Noskova secures maiden Wimbledon title overcoming Muchova in a dramatic final.
“It was unlucky for us. The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it takes this direction. It became a misunderstanding among our players, and it was a bad moment for us. We can’t do anything about that. I don’t think we will play the game again, so that’s how it is.”
The cables are used to suspend a robotically controlled camera. Fifa said: “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.”
Background: Jude Bellingham dismisses Tuchel’s criticism after England reach World Cup semi-finals.
England’s head coach, Thomas Tuchel, said he was aware of suggestions a cable had been hit. “I heard that, but there’s a chip in the ball and it can tell you if a hair can touch it, as you know from the Croatia-Portugal game.”
That was a reference to a late Croatia equaliser being ruled out for offside after the ball was found to have flicked the hair of a teammate before reaching the scorer, who had been onside from the initial cross.
Related coverage:
No comments yet. Start the discussion.