England advances to semifinals after dramatic win
England secured a 2-1 victory over Norway in their World Cup quarterfinal match, advancing to the semifinals. The win came after extra time, with Jude Bellingham scoring the decisive goal in the 93rd minute. This victory marks the second time in their last three matches that England has won a World Cup knockout game after conceding first, a feat they had not achieved since the 1966 final before this tournament.
The match was not without controversy, particularly surrounding Bellingham’s first-half equaliser. Just before halftime, as Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland launched a goal kick, several Norwegian players believed the ball had struck one of the cables supporting the Skycam above the pitch. Despite protests from Nyland, head coach Stale Solbakken, and other Norway players, play continued, and Bellingham scored.
FIFA later released a statement dismissing the claims, stating there was “no evidence” that the ball had touched the wire. The statement highlighted that the sensor in the Connected Ball Technology (CBT) used in the official match ball showed no peak in the “heartbeat of the ball” while it was in the air. This technology, which sends data 500 times per second, is primarily designed to assist the VAR system with offside decisions but can also detect contact with other objects.
Bellingham’s record-setting performance
Jude Bellingham’s performance against Norway etched his name into the history books. He became the second-youngest player to score two or more goals in successive FIFA World Cup knockout stage matches. This achievement occurred when he was 23 years and 12 days old. The only player younger to have accomplished this feat was Pelé, who did so in 1958 at the age of 17 years and 249 days.
Bellingham’s brace against Mexico in the Round of 16 was his first instance of scoring multiple goals in a World Cup knockout match. He repeated this performance against Norway, first with a clinical low finish just before halftime, and then by delivering the decisive blow in the third minute of extra time. His second goal came after Nyland spilled a Morgan Rogers shot, allowing Bellingham to pounce on the rebound.
With six goals in the 2026 tournament, Bellingham is currently level with Harry Kane. He is also the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score two or more goals in back-to-back World Cup knockout appearances. England is now set to face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals.
Controversy and VAR decisions
The quarterfinal match saw further VAR intervention when Norway believed they had regained the lead in the second half. However, the goal was ruled out after Erling Haaland was judged to have committed a foul in the build-up. This decision, alongside the earlier controversy surrounding Bellingham’s equaliser, contributed to the post-match discussions.
Haaland’s remarkable streak of scoring in 14 consecutive competitive internationals for Norway came to an end with this defeat. The striker was substituted during the second period of extra time. England will play their semifinal match in Arlington, Texas.
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Source: hindustantimes.com
