VAR Overturns Norway Goal After Haaland Foul
England received a fortunate boost in their World Cup quarter-final clash with Norway after a goal was disallowed following a foul by Erling Haaland. The incident occurred early in the second half when Norway believed they had restored their advantage through Torbjorn Heggem's close-range finish from a corner.
The goal was initially awarded on the field, but a VAR check prompted referee Clement Turpin to review the pitchside monitor. After consultation, Turpin ruled out the goal due to Haaland's push on Elliot Anderson before the corner was delivered.
Referee Explains Decision
“After review, number 9 of Norway [Haaland] pushed the defending team defender before the corner was taken. Therefore, [the] decision, corner to be retaken,” Turpin stated. The verdict came under new World Cup regulations addressing fouls committed while the ball is out of play.
Under the revised law, instead of awarding England a free-kick, the corner was allowed to be retaken. This marked a significant shift from previous rules, where such an infringement would have resulted in a defensive free-kick.
ITV Analyst Predicts Overturn
Prior to the final decision, ITV analyst and former referee Christina Unkel outlined why she anticipated the goal would be overturned. “They're going to be checking Haaland, there's a full extension, VAR will be checking if that would have prevented him [Anderson] to defend that ball,” Unkel said. “I would be surprised if there was not a recommendation to overrule the goal.”
Match Context
England entered the quarter-final aware that victory would secure a semi-final encounter with either Argentina or Switzerland, scheduled for Wednesday evening in Atlanta. The match had seen Norway take the lead in the first half through a long-range strike from Andreas Schjelderup, before England swiftly responded with an equaliser from Jude Bellingham in first-half added time.
The VAR intervention proved crucial, as England went on to avoid falling behind again in the second half. The new rule, specifically designed for fouls when the ball is out of play, was implemented for the first time in a high-stakes World Cup match, highlighting the ongoing evolution of football's laws.
