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England have secured their place in the World Cup semi-finals after a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in Miami on Saturday.
Jude Bellingham was the hero for Thomas Tuchel’s side, scoring twice, though his first goal sparked an enormous controversy that dominated post-match coverage worldwide.
Norway took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup, and Stale Solbakken’s men came close to extending their advantage before Alexander Sorloth chose not to square the ball in a two-on-one situation.
Bellingham punished that missed opportunity, firing England level just before half-time after goalkeeper Orjan Nyland’s clearance appeared to strike an overhead camera cable.
Norway believed the ball’s trajectory was altered by the spidercam wire, meaning the goal should never have stood and the match should have been restarted with a drop ball.
The Scandinavians had further cause for complaint in the second half when a goal from Torbjorn Heggem was disallowed after VAR ruled Erling Haaland had pushed Elliot Anderson in the build-up.
England held on through mounting Norwegian pressure and then struck decisively in extra time, with Bellingham pouncing on another Nyland error to seal the win from close range.
A virus had also forced Declan Rice off at half-time, adding further drama to an absorbing and chaotic quarter-final encounter in the Miami heat.
Norway’s Norwegian broadcaster NRK captured the mood bluntly, stating “if it turns out that the ball hit the cable, we are in for the refereeing scandal of the ages.”
Fellow Norwegian outlet VG was equally scathing, declaring “it’s absolutely sick that something like that can happen” and insisting “if it’s the wire that stops it, then that ball should be dropped.”
Dagbladet offered a more reflective take, noting that “rarely have Norwegian players been more cheerful after a loss” and praising Solbakken for uniting the nation throughout the tournament.
The Guardian praised Bellingham specifically, writing that “he moved to another level here when it mattered the most” after Tuchel urged his players to release the handbrake.
Argentine outlet Ole acknowledged England’s resilience, noting that “neither Schjelderup’s early stunner, nor the sweltering Miami heat, nor the virus that forced Declan Rice to leave the field at halftime, could stop them.”
French newspaper L’Equipe pointed out that Harry Kane and Bellingham have taken turns as England’s saviours throughout the tournament, with the Real Madrid man now firmly centre stage.
Fox Sports in the United States summarised the mood of England’s critics pointedly, noting that while the Three Lions advanced without needing penalties, “there were enough things that went down that could lead to England’s critics to say that it got lucky.”
England will now face Argentina in the semi-finals, with Scotland’s hopes of schadenfreude resting entirely on the South Americans ending the Three Lions’ run.
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