Miami Gardens: England and Norway level at half-time in World Cup quarterfinal
First Half Action Sees Equalizing Goals
The World Cup quarterfinal match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Florida, entered extra time after the teams were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation play on Saturday. The first half saw both sides finding the back of the net, setting up a tense continuation of the game.
Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring for Norway in the 36th minute. His shot deflected off the right post before finding its way into the net, giving Norway the lead despite England having largely controlled possession up to that point. This marked Schjelderup’s second start of the tournament, and he celebrated by stretching his arms wide as teammates lifted him.
England responded in first-half stoppage time when Jude Bellingham scored the equalizer. Bellingham’s close-range goal was his fifth of the tournament, drawing a significant reaction from the crowd, which included notable figures like Mick Jagger and David Beckham. The goal came after a moment of controversy when a Norway goal kick appeared to make contact with an aerial camera cable before reaching England’s Elliot Anderson, who then played the ball to Bellingham. According to rules, if the ball had been noticed hitting the cable, play would have been stopped and a drop ball used.
Prior to Bellingham’s equalizer, Norway’s Erling Haaland had a point-blank header saved by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the first half. Haaland, a Manchester City star, has scored seven goals in the tournament, placing him behind France’s Kylian Mbappé and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who both have eight goals.
Second Half and Extra Time Developments
The second half saw continued action, with Norway nearly taking the lead again in the 56th minute. Torbjørn Heggem scored from a rebound following a corner kick, but the goal was subsequently disallowed after a video review confirmed a foul by Haaland in the box. This decision kept the score level at 1-1.
The match’s intensity was underscored by the physical play, with England’s Harry Kane seen grabbing his leg near midfield and looking towards officials after a challenge, though no foul was called. The contest ultimately remained tied through regulation, leading to 30 minutes of extra time, divided into two 15-minute halves.
Historically, matches between Norway and England have not been high-scoring affairs, with only two goals recorded across their last four encounters. However, the attacking talent on display in this quarterfinal suggested a different outcome. Norway has only defeated England twice in 12 meetings, with those victories occurring in World Cup qualifiers in 1981 and 1993. Despite this, Norway entered the match with confidence after recent knockout victories over Côte d’Ivoire and Brazil.
England’s defense has shown some vulnerability in the tournament, conceding 4.2 expected goals and managing only two clean sheets. However, their prolific offense has compensated, averaging 2.2 goals per game and creating 23 significant scoring opportunities. Harry Kane has been a key figure for England, alongside Jude Bellingham.
Looking Ahead to Potential Deciders
If the score remains tied after the additional 30 minutes of extra time, the quarterfinal will be decided by a penalty shootout. The winner of this match will advance to face either Argentina or Switzerland, who were scheduled to play their quarterfinal later on Saturday night in Kansas City, Missouri.
Norway has never progressed this far in the World Cup, while England, who won the title in 1966, last reached the semifinals eight years ago. Before the match commenced, a moment of silence was observed in honor of Jayden Adams, a 25-year-old midfielder for South Africa, whose death was announced earlier on Saturday.
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Source: apnews.com
