Erling Haaland's father, Alfie, criticized referees following Norway's 2-1 extra-time loss to England in the World Cup quarter-finals, highlighting disputed decisions including a possible camera wire interference on Jude Bellingham's equalizer and a VAR-overturned goal for Norway. England advanced to the semi-finals amid controversy and Haaland's ineffective performance.
Erling Haaland's father, Alfie, criticized the match officials after Norway's World Cup quarter-final loss to England, a game filled with contentious decisions that influenced the outcome.
England emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline after extra time, thanks to two goals from Jude Bellingham, who first equalized and then scored the winner. Norway initially took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup, but England's resilience and several disputed calls shifted the momentum. The first major controversy surrounded Bellingham's equalizer, with replays suggesting the ball might have struck an overhead camera wire during the build-up, though the goal stood.
Later, a goal for Norway was disallowed after VAR intervention; referees determined that Erling Haaland had pushed Elliot Anderson in the penalty area before the corner was taken, nullifying the effort. Alfie Haaland took to social media following the defeat, responding to a post about Bellingham's performance with a sarcastic remark: 'Well done Bellingham and referee,' clearly implicating the officiating crew in the result.
Beyond the disputed calls, the match also featured a surprising tactical move by Norway manager Stale Solbakken, who substituted the visibly fatigued Haaland during extra time while Norway was still chasing an equaliser. Haaland, who typically dominates matches, was unusually quiet, managing only one shot on target and 21 touches over 105 minutes. His substitution sparked confusion among Norwegian fans, especially considering the stakes.
The grueling heat in Miami impacted both teams, but it seemed to affect Haaland more, as he required treatment at the end of regular time. For England, Bellingham continued his stellar tournament form, now with six goals in six World Cup appearances. His second goal came after a rebound from a long-range Morgan Rogers effort, which Norwegian goalkeeper Orjan Nyland could only parry.
Norway's consolation came late when a potential penalty for them was overturned after a VAR review, adding another layer of frustration to their exit. This defeat marks Norway's first World Cup appearance since 1998 coming to an end at the quarter-final stage, and for Haaland, it was his first goalless competitive international match in nearly two years, with his last such performance dating back to October 13, 2024.
The combination of questionable officiating, key substitutions, and Haaland's off night contributed to a dramatic and debated conclusion to Norway's impressive run
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