Miami: FIFA has stated that there was “no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire” in Jude Bellingham’s equaliser in England’s World Cup quarter-final win against Norway in Miami.
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.
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. Even though Norway’s goalkeeper Nyland and manager Stale Solbakken protested to the referee, their protests went unheard.
FIFA has reacted to the controversy, saying that the sensor within the ball showed “no peaks in the ‘heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air”. It also remains unclear whether video assistant referee Jerome Brisard reviewed the incident before the goal was allowed.
“Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, 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 in a statement. IANS
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