'Everyone saw what happened': Norway coach says ball struck cable before England equaliser
Miami, July 12
Norway's head coach Stale Solbakken reflected on the controversy around Jude Bellingham's equaliser in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final and said it's pretty clear that the ball hit the overhead cable, but the referee said he didn't see it himself and didn't get any message about it.
Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland's goal kick appeared to clearly strike a camera wire late in the first half, allowing England to quickly surge forward on the attack and Bellingham scored the tying goal. Norway's goalkeeper Nyland and Solbakken protested to the referee; their protests went unheard.
Replays appeared to show a Norway goal kick hitting a cable in the buildup, although FIFA said there was "no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball."
"He said that he didn't see it himself and that he didn't get any message that it actually happened," Solbakken was quoted by The Guardian. "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, he said.
As per the rule, if the ball had been noticed hitting the wire, play would have stopped and a drop ball would have been utilised to determine possession. But, play was not interrupted. However, the game kept going.
"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," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a football fan, I find this ridiculous. The ball clearly hit the cable – everyone saw it except the referee? That's just poor officiating. They need goal-line technology for things like this, just like in tennis with the net cord sensors.
Solbakken's acceptance is commendable. "It's part of football" - that's the spirit. But FIFA's statement about 'no evidence' is just covering up. In India, we've seen umpiring blunders in cricket that change matches. Such moments test a team's character. Fair play to Norway for handling it with grace.
I'm sorry, but this is a joke. How can you have a World Cup match decided by a technical glitch? The referee should have stopped play the moment the ball hit the cable. Football needs to learn from other sports – use VAR properly and add sensors to detect such incidents.
This reminds me of that India vs Sri Lanka match where a ball hit a rope and no one noticed. 🤦♀️ Technology gaps hurt everyone. Norway deserved better, but Solbakken's classy response shows why they're respected. Hope FIFA fixes this for future tournaments.
Unfortunate but part of the game. The ref's explanation is weak though – 'didn't see it' is not good enough at this level. Norway played well overall, so it's a shame this moment will overshadow their performance. Football needs better oversight.
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