DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇴 Norway /Sports

Furious after the decision: “I would rather see filming punished than a penalty”

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Aalesund players and coach criticized the penalty awarded to Brann after a VAR review in the Norwegian women’s cup final.
  • Brann won 3-1, with Lauren Davidson involved in the penalty incident and later named player of the match.
  • The debate has also renewed criticism of refereeing standards in Norway’s top women’s league, where VAR is not used regularly.

Aalesund’s Katarina Dybvik Sunde said she would rather have seen Brann forward Lauren Davidson booked for simulation than awarded a penalty after a VAR review that helped shape the cup final.

It was far too easy. It was far too poor. We have VAR, and I think they should have been able to see very clearly that it was not a penalty.

· Katarina Dybvik Sunde, Aalesund forwardShe criticized the penalty awarded to Brann after a VAR review in the cup final.

Brann beat Aalesund 3-1, but the disputed moment came before the Bergen side’s final goal. Davidson went down in a challenge with Aalesund defender Casandra Lüthcke. Referee Marit Skurdal Holthe initially allowed play to continue, then pointed to the spot after checking the incident with VAR.

“It was far too easy. It was far too poor. We have VAR, and I think they should have been able to see very clearly that it was not a penalty,” Sunde, Aalesund’s leading scorer in the Toppserien, told VG. She also said Davidson was known for making more of such incidents and added: “I would rather have given a yellow card for simulation than a penalty there.”

I would rather have given a yellow card for simulation than a penalty there.

· Katarina Dybvik Sunde, Aalesund forwardShe argued that Lauren Davidson should have been booked instead of awarded a penalty.

Davidson, who scored Brann’s first goal and was named the final’s best player, dismissed the criticism. “I don’t think you can simulate when VAR is involved,” she said. Aalesund coach Martin Lindmark said he had not watched the incident again but thought it looked light, while acknowledging that it could have been a penalty. Brann midfielder Cecilie Redisch Kvamme said VAR had worked in her team’s favor and that it was welcome in an important final moment. Brann coach Lauren Kaminski also backed the decision, saying VAR had been useful in a decisive situation.

I don’t think you can simulate when VAR is involved.

· Lauren Davidson, Brann forwardShe rejected Aalesund’s claim that she exaggerated the contact in the penalty incident.

VAR is not used in the regular competition in Norway’s top women’s division. Davidson said refereeing standards vary too much from week to week and argued that VAR should be introduced for more matches. Sunde called the overall level “far too poor,” while Kvamme said referees needed more time working together in their specific teams and urged respect for the work they do. VG said it had sought comment from Holthe but had not received one.

I think it was a penalty. VAR decided it for us.

· Lauren Kaminski, Brann coachShe defended the decision and said VAR helped settle a decisive moment in the final.
About this summary

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog