England's crucial equalizer in their World Cup quarter-final match against Norway has become a point of contention following observations that the ball may have struck a camera cable prior to the goal. According to the Laws of the Game set by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), play should be stopped if the ball hits a fixture hanging over the pitch, such as a camera cable, and remains within the field of play.
In such instances, the referee is instructed to award a dropped ball to the team that last possessed the ball, with the restart occurring at the point of contact with the fixture. Reports indicate that during the match, Norway's goalkeeper Orjan Nyland took a goal kick while his team was trailing. Footage from the game appears to show the ball's trajectory altering mid-flight as it struck an overhead cable, causing it to drop near the halfway line.
The ball then went to Elliot Anderson, who passed it to Anthony Gordon. Gordon subsequently delivered a pass to Jude Bellingham, who scored to equalize the match shortly before halftime. Eagle-eyed fans have pointed to this sequence of events, suggesting that the goal should have been disallowed according to IFAB rules. The controversy has led to complaints from some Norway supporters regarding the validity of England's equalizer.