20 minutes into the Nations League showdown between Sweden and Norway at Friends Arena, Norway was awarded a penalty after Morten Thorsby was fouled within 16 meters.
See the situation in the video window at the top!
Judge Anthony Taylor immediately pointed to the penalty mark. The TV pictures never showed that the situation was watched by VAR. It provoked reactions in Sweden.
“Haaland puts the lead for Norway, on a penalty that was not a penalty, on a penalty that possibly should have been a kick-in. Someone has smoked crack in the VAR container”, it says in the live center of Aftonbladet.
It goes on to say: “But please, dear Uefa, the entire judiciary, all the VAR judges in the world, what the hell is that punishment? It was the dumbest, most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Thorsby should change his last name, he deserves not to be called the same as a Swedish honorable city “.
The Swedish commentators also disagreed with the decision.
– It can not be possible, said Viaplay commentator Niklas Holmgren.
Reactions from the Swedes are pouring in on social media. Former national team player Tobias Hysén calls it all a parody.
TV 2’s football experts understand the Swedes’ frustration.
– There is not much touch, is there then? It looked very cheap, said Jesper Mathisen from the commentator box.
– This is soft. It is national feeling and patriotism that assess whether there is punishment or not. Swedes are completely wild and write that it is filming, while Norwegians think it is okay. I think it’s cheap, says Morten Langli.
VAR should be used to correct “clear and obvious errors”. That assessment did not go in Sweden’s favor.
– If the judge does not give punishment, VAR would never have gone in and said that there is punishment, he believes.
