The final seconds of England’s Under-19 women’s match against Norway will be replayed in Belfast on Thursday after a refereeing error.
England had been trailing the original game on Saturday 2-1 six minutes into injury time when they were awarded a penalty.
The spot kick was converted by Leah Williamson but was deemed illegal by German referee Marija Kurtes for an England player encroaching in the box before the kick was taken.
Kurtes incorrectly awared a free-kick rather than for the penalty to be retaken, and the final whistle blew 18 seconds later.
But in a bizarre twist, governing body UEFA has ordered the match to be resumed in the 96th minute with England’s penalty kick at 2145 BST in Northern Ireland following an appeal by the Football Association.
As pressure penalties go, few come greater for Williamson, although the rules also state one of her teammates can replace her as the penalty taker if the England management so decide.
The rules also state that exactly the same players playing in the original game, a European Under-19 Championship qualifier, must again be on the pitch for the dying seconds.
The replay, though, will be under the watchful eye of another referee after Kurtes was sent home for her error.
Explaining the ruling, UEFA said on its website: “We originally wrote that Norway had qualified but on 8 April the Uefa control, ethics and disciplinary body announced that Norway’s game against England on 4 April will be replayed from the minute a penalty kick was awarded to England, who were 2-1 down at the time.”
Bizarrely, both England and Norway have other qualifying games to play on Thursday: England taking on Switzerland and Norway taking on Northern Ireland with both games kicking off at 1600 BST.
Should England level it would be a remarkable, if bizarre, comeback. They have been 2-0 down following goals by Vilde Fjelldal and Molly Bartrip before Rosella Ayane got a goal back with two minutes of regulation time remaining
The group winners all qualify for the championships in Israel in July along with the hosts, with the remaining spot going to the best group runners-up.
