FOOTBALL | UEFA orders match to be restarted after referee error

For the first time in its history, UEFA has ordered a soccer match to be restarted because of a referee’s error. UEFA has ordered the final seconds of a women’s Under-19 European Championship qualifier between England and Norway to be replayed today [Macau time], starting with a stoppage-time penalty and a new referee.
The governing body of European soccer said yesterday that its disciplinary committee has never before issued such a ruling.
With Norway leading 2-1 on Saturday in Belfast, England scored from the penalty spot in the sixth minute of injury time but it was disallowed when an England player encroached. However, German referee Marija Kurtes then wrongly awarded a free kick to Norway instead of retaking the penalty.
The English Football Association protested. UEFA regulations uphold protests in cases of “an obvious violation of a rule by the referee that had a decisive influence on the final result of the match.”
Play will resume at 2045 GMT in Belfast, after Norway and England play other group matches earlier Thursday.
The retaken penalty could decide which team advances to the final tournament. AP