England Senegal Bellingham
(Credit: Imago and ITV Sport)
Keith Hackett
Wed 11 June 2025 16:48, UK
Keith Hackett has given his verdict on the decision to disallow Jude Bellingham’s goal as England were beaten by Senegal in a friendly.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the goal should not have been ruled out for a handball by Levi Colwill in the build up.
Thomas Tuchel‘s side ended the June international break by taking on Senegal at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on Tuesday night (10 June).
After England had largely underwhelmed in a World Cup qualifying win over Andorra at the weekend, the Three Lions will have been aiming to produce a more convincing showing here.
Ultimately that did not go to plan, although they will feel they were hard done by over one key incident in the game.
England Tuchel
(Credit: Imago)
Bellingham denied late equaliser after Stephanie Frappart review
That match between England and Senegal had seen kick off delayed by five minutes, after the visitors were late in emerging from their dressing room.
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Once the match did get underway, Harry Kane put the Three Lions ahead after just seven minutes, when he tapped in from close range after Edouard Mendy failed to hold an Anthony Gordon shot.
However, Senegal then turned things around to lead 2-1, thanks to goals from Ismaila Sarr and Habib Diarra.
With just over five minutes of normal time remaining, Bellingham thought he had equalised for England, turning in from close range after the ball fell to him from a corner.
Replays though showed that the ball had inadvertently hit the arm of Chelsea centre-back Colwill as he jumped to win possession, before landing at the feet of the Real Madrid star.
As a result, referee Stephanie Frappard elected to disallow the goal following an on-field VAR review, a decision Hackett has now criticised.
Keith Hackett slams officials after England miss out
Speaking to Football Insider about the call to rule out that Bellingham goal, the former referee said:
“On the way to goal the ball struck high up on the arm of an England player [Colwill] and deflected to a colleague [Bellingham] who put the ball into the net.
“Then we witnessed the dreaded intervention of VAR who advised referee Stephanie Frappart to view the pitchside monitor.
“This was NOT a deliberate action by the player, there was no movement of hand to ball. Neither was the body shape made bigger.
“Frappart wrongly ruled out a goal. A poor decision from the match official.”
Cheikh Sabaly then added a third goal in stoppage time for Senegal to round out a 3-1 defeat for England that ensured a worrying international break ended in disappointing fashion for the Three Lions.
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