For Stale Solbakken, there is no doubt that the ball hit the spider cam and changed direction, affecting its trajectory in the play that led to England’s equalizeragainst Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals.
“Many of our players on the bench reacted immediately, right then and there. I didn’t notice it myself, but there were plenty who saw it. If FIFA says the chip in the ball showed no indication that it hit anything, I can’t say anything… But you saw it too—the ball changed course. What happened—did it fall from… heaven? It was clear that the ball hit something. It’s truly unbelievable that something like this happened. The referees couldn’t have missed it. What were we supposed to do, run onto the field shouting to get their attention? “If it had been a cable that stopped the ball, the match would have had to be stopped and play resumed with a drop ball by the referee,” said the Norwegian coach.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
With tears in his eyes, he reflected on his team’s run in the World Cup. “I feel so bad for the guys. This is soccer at the highest level; it brings you the greatest joys and the deepest sorrows. We put on a heroic performance. I can’t blame the players or ask for anything more than what they gave. We played excellent soccer against a top-tier team, but our effort wasn’t enough to carry us all the way. The incredible support from the Norwegian fans means everything to us. We have to be strong in defeat and not look for excuses or blame refereeing decisions. This is soccer at the highest level. We were a little unlucky, but that’s life. We spent 6.5 weeks together as a family, and I’m proud that we lived up to expectations and took another step forward in this World Cup.”
*photo source: AP
