With a clear victory over the Netherlands, Norway moved into the semi-finals of the Women’s Handball World Cup. However, a ghost goal in the game caused great chaos.
When the score was 17:15 for Norway, star player Stine Bredal Oftedal scored a goal. Instead of showing 18:15, the scoreboards in the hall showed 17:16.
Although the faux pas was noticed by several people involved, it was only corrected at the end of the game. The IHF confirmed the error to the newspaper “Dagbladet”.
Siv Sødal, board member of the Norwegian Handball Association, said about the strange situation: “We have two people who keep the statistics. They noted the goal and reacted to the fact that the scoreboard is wrong. There was also uncertainty in the secretariat. Then I went there and talked to them. Then they decided not to do anything about it.”
“You screwed up”
An approach that causes severe criticism. “You messed up at the timekeeper’s desk,” rumbled Nora Mørk on “Dagbladet”: “That shouldn’t happen. It can affect a game, there is a difference between two and three goals.”
Handball expert Ole Erevik reacted with shock at “Verdens Gang”. “I’m a little speechless, believe it or not. It can’t happen, it can’t happen.”
Norway coach Thorir Hergeirsson also noticed the incorrect score, but didn’t dwell on it. “I was a little skeptical. I felt like it was wrong, but I had to focus on what was important.”
Netherlands coach Per Johansson described the chaos as “strange”.
Norway beat the Netherlands in Trondheim in a longer open but ultimately clear game with 30:23 (12:11). The four-time world champions, where Stine Ruscetta Skogrand excelled with nine goals in nine attempts and goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, are in the World Cup semi-finals for the fifth time in a row.