Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken has claimed that England's equaliser in the World Cup quarter-final should not have stood because the ball hit an overhead camera cable in the buildup. Replays appeared to show a Norway goal-kick striking a cable before Jude Bellingham scored, but Fifa stated that a sensor in the ball showed no evidence of contact.
Solbakken confronts referee at half-time
Solbakken, whose team lost 2-1 after extra time, confronted French referee Clément Turpin on the pitch at half-time. He said: "He said that he didn't see it himself and that he didn't get any message that it actually happened. 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."
Fifa statement on ball sensor
Fifa released a statement saying: "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." The cables are used to suspend a robotically controlled camera.
Tuchel responds to controversy
England head coach Thomas Tuchel said he was aware of the suggestions. "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," he said, referencing a late Croatia equaliser that was ruled out for offside after the ball flicked a teammate's hair.
Solbakken accepts outcome
Solbakken accepted the result, saying: "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. It was unlucky for us." He added: "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."
