England reaches World Cup semis amid refereeing controversy; Haaland's father comments

England secured a spot in the World Cup semifinals by narrowly defeating Norway 2-1 in extra time, a victory that has sparked debate over officiating decisions.

Jude Bellingham, the 23-year-old English star, was the hero of the match, scoring both of England's goals. However, the circumstances surrounding both goals have drawn scrutiny.

The match's decisive moment came when Norway's Torbjörn Lysaker Heggem scored what appeared to be the go-ahead goal in the second half. However, the referee disallowed the goal after a VAR review, ruling that Erling Haaland had pushed Elliot Anderson before the corner kick. Anderson had fallen theatrically.

Adding to the controversy, Bellingham's first-half equalizer, which made it 1-1, also appeared questionable. TV footage suggested the ball had struck camera cables above the field, potentially altering its trajectory before reaching Bellingham. Former top referee Mark Clattenburg noted that play should have been stopped when the ball hit an "external object," and VAR could have intervened.

Despite protests from Norwegian players and coach Ståle Solbakken, FIFA stated that the data sensors on the ball did not confirm a touch. Following the match, Erling Haaland's father, Alf-Inge "Alfie" Haaland, took to social media platform X, posting "Great job, Bellingham and the referee," a comment that has since gone viral and fueled the controversy surrounding the game's officiating.