Alexander Sørloth explains why he did not pass to Erling Haaland

The World Cup quarter-final match between Norway and England will be remembered for a long time, not just for the result, but for a controversial moment that decided the game. With Norway leading 1-0, striker Alexander Sørloth decided not to provide an assist to his teammate Erling Haaland. This decision is being evaluated as the main turning point that ultimately led to the Scandinavians' defeat. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

In the 44th minute of the match, following a brilliant pass from Martin Ødegaard, Sørloth and Erling Haaland broke through in a two-on-one situation against English defender John Stones. Most experts and fans expected Sørloth to pass the ball to the open Erling Haaland, but the Atlético Madrid striker tried to finish the play himself. His shot was blocked by Stones, and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford easily collected the ball.

The mistake and its consequences

Just three minutes after this missed opportunity, England midfielder Jude Bellingham managed to equalize. According to Goal.com, in a post-match interview, Sørloth explained why he made that decision at that moment. According to him, the defender's movements forced him to hesitate.

"When I received the ball and looked up, it seemed like Stones had closed the passing lane. I waited for him to make a move, but I didn't take the initiative myself. My only desire in that situation was to pass to Erling, but feeling that the opportunity was closed, I decided to shoot," says Sørloth, explaining his actions.

Former England striker and BBC pundit Alan Shearer harshly criticized Sørloth's actions. In his opinion, the striker should have made a faster decision and passed the ball to Erling Haaland without complicating the situation. Shearer emphasized that England was simply lucky in this situation.

Norway national team head coach Ståle Solbakken also touched upon this episode. Journalists asked the coach whether the intense heat and humidity in the stadium caused the player's fatigue and poor decision-making. Solbakken said that Sørloth had covered 40-50 meters at maximum speed, which might have hindered his concentration.

Nevertheless, the coach stated that it is wrong to blame only the weather for the defeat. "It was a huge opportunity to go 2-0 up. In football, such small details decide the fate of the game," added Solbakken. In the end, England won 2-1 in extra time and secured a spot in the semi-finals.