Norway were furious with Jude Bellingham’s equaliser for England in their World Cup quarter-final after the ball hit an overhead camera cable in the build up to the goal.
Andreas Schjelderup put Norway ahead with what appeared to be a miss-hit cross in the 36th minute before Bellingham pulled England level shortly before the half-time break.
However, England’s move started after the goal kick from Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland hit one of the cables which is connected to the overhead spider cam at the Miami Stadium.
After the ball struck the cable, it immediately changed path and dropped down to Elliot Anderson and two passes later, Bellingham was able to finish brilliantly past Orjan to equalise for England.
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Norway head coach, Stale Solbakken, was remonstrating with French referee Clement Turpin after the half-time whistle over allowing the decision to stand.
The International FA Board (IFAB), which oversees the laws of football, states that the referee should have ruled out the goal and given a drop ball at the point where the ball hit the cable overhead.
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg said on Fox Sports: ‘Some will ask why did the VAR not interfere. Yes, they can intervene if the contact of the ball with the camera cable is part of the reviewable incident.
‘An attacking phase of play leading to a goal is part of the VAR reviewable incident so it should have been picked up by the VAR.’
Speaking at half time, Norway’s assistant coach Kent Bergersen told TV2: ‘Before the goal, Orjan hits the wire for the camera over the field, so the ball is shorter than it should have been. The referees should have looked into that.’
What should happen if the ball hits spider cam?
IFAB’s Law 8 clarifies that the ball is dropped for the team that would have retained/gained possession had play not been stopped, which includes the team that would have taken the restart in situations where the ball would have gone out of play.
If play is stopped because the ball makes contact with: a match official (e.g. the referee) or an outside agent.
The ball is dropped where the interference/contact occurred.
Typically, the pundits for Norwegian broadcaster TV2 were also unhappy that England’s equaliser was allowed to stand.
‘If that ball hit the drone camera or a wire, this is a scandal, then it should have been a draw and not 1-1,’ said TV2 pundit Kristoffer Lokberg.
‘I have no words. I have not witnessed anything like this before. If this becomes decisive, it will remain as one of the biggest World Cup scandals of all time.’
His fellow TV2 analyst, Erik Torp, added: ‘If it turns out that the ball hit the cable, we are in for the refereeing scandal of the ages, seen through Norwegian eyes.’
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