England’s dramatic win and Bellingham’s historic performance
England secured a 2-1 victory over Norway in a dramatic World Cup quarterfinal match, progressing to the semifinals. The game, which went into extra time, saw significant controversy surrounding Jude Bellingham’s first-half equaliser. Bellingham, who scored his sixth goal of the tournament, played a pivotal role in England’s success, making history in the process.
The controversy unfolded just before halftime when Norway’s goalkeeper, Orjan Nyland, launched a goal kick. Several Norwegian players believed the ball had struck one of the overhead cables supporting the Skycam. Despite their protests to referee Szymon Marciniak and head coach Stale Solbakken’s continued appeals, play continued. Moments later, Bellingham scored the equaliser.
FIFA later addressed the incident, stating there was “no evidence” the ball had touched the wire. The organisation explained that the sensor in the Connected Ball Technology (CBT), which is fitted in the official match ball for the 2026 World Cup, showed no peak in the ball’s “heartbeat” while it was in the air. This technology, designed to assist the VAR system, sends data 500 times per second and can detect contact with objects or players, primarily improving offside decisions.
The drama continued into the second half when Norway believed they had regained the lead, only for VAR to disallow the goal due to a foul by Erling Haaland in the build-up. With the match heading towards penalties, Bellingham scored the decisive goal in the 93rd minute of extra time, capitalising on a mistake from Nyland after a Morgan Rogers shot.
Bellingham’s record-breaking achievements
Jude Bellingham’s performance against Norway marked a significant milestone in his career. He became the second-youngest player in history to score two or more goals in successive FIFA World Cup knockout stage matches. Bellingham achieved this feat at 23 years and 12 days old. The only player younger to have done so was Pelé, who accomplished it 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. His repeat performance against Norway, with an equaliser and the winning goal, solidified his place in the tournament’s history books. 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.
With six goals in the 2026 tournament, Bellingham is currently level with Harry Kane and trails Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, who are leading the Golden Boot race. England’s victory means they will now face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals, with a place in their first World Cup final since 1966 at stake.
Impact on England and Norway
England’s comeback victory highlighted their growing resilience. Prior to this tournament, they had not won a World Cup knockout match after conceding first since the 1966 final. They have now achieved this feat twice in their last three matches, demonstrating a newfound ability to recover from setbacks.
For Norway, the defeat ended Erling Haaland’s remarkable streak of scoring in 14 consecutive competitive internationals. Haaland, who was substituted during the second period of extra time, had delivered another tireless display. The team’s protests regarding the controversial first-half goal underscore the intense scrutiny on officiating at this World Cup.
England will play their semifinal match in Arlington, Texas.
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Source: hindustantimes.com
