West Bromwich Albion striker Aune Heggebø has been banned for two Championship matches after the Football Association found him guilty of misconduct over a controversial handball goal scored against Norwich City at Carrow Road.

What the FA said

The charge against the 25-year-old Norwegian was specific and damning in its language. The FA cited him for "successfully deceiving a match official by handling the ball in a direct successful attempt to score a goal." In plain terms: the ball struck Heggebø's hand before crossing the line, nobody in the officiating team spotted it at the time, and the goal stood on the day. West Brom went on to win the match 2-1.

That sort of post-match retrospective charge has become an established part of the FA's disciplinary framework, allowing the governing body to act where match officials have been deceived, even when no red card or caution was issued on the pitch. The process is uncomfortable, not least because it asks a player to accept punishment for something that was not flagged in the moment, but the regulations are clear enough.

Club's appeal rejected

West Brom did not accept the charge without a fight. The club mounted a formal appeal, arguing that the contact was accidental rather than deliberate. Their case rested on the claim that the ball's deflection off the Norwich goalkeeper "materially affected the ball's trajectory," making it impossible for Heggebø to avoid contact with his hand.

It is the kind of argument that has succeeded elsewhere in similar cases, where genuine ambiguity about intent has persuaded an appeal panel to reduce or overturn a ban. Not here. The FA's appeals process rejected West Brom's submission and the two-game suspension stands.

The club's position, at least as stated publicly, was that this was an honest misfortune rather than a calculated act of deception. Whether supporters in the Hawthorns will find much comfort in that framing depends on how they view the incident, and views on that sort of thing tend to split sharply along tribal lines.

What it means for the Baggies

Heggebø misses two Championship fixtures as a result of the ban. West Brom will need to cover his absence up front, and the timing and identity of the specific matches he will sit out matters considerably, particularly given how tight the second-tier table can become once the early-season picture settles.

The goal itself, whatever its origins, did contribute to a victory at Carrow Road that West Brom will have been glad of. Norwich, for their part, were on the wrong end of a decision that cost them a point at minimum, and will be rueful that a result which looked settled at the time has since been acknowledged, if not formally overturned, as tainted.

The three points still stand. The goal still counts in the record books. Only the player is penalised. That is the logic of the retrospective charge system, and it pleases few people on either side of a disputed incident.

BBC Radio WM's Albion correspondent Steve Hermon and former Albion player Richard Sneekes both discussed the reaction to the ban in the club's broadcast coverage, reflecting what is likely to be a divided response among supporters who felt the appeal had genuine merit.

West Brom have not yet commented publicly on whether they consider the matter closed.

Frequently asked

Why has Aune Heggebø been banned?
Heggebø has been handed a two-game ban by the FA after being found guilty of misconduct for scoring a handball goal against Norwich City at Carrow Road. The ball struck his hand before going into the net, and match officials did not spot it at the time.
Did West Brom appeal Heggebø's ban?
Yes. West Brom appealed the charge, arguing the contact was accidental because the ball's deflection off the Norwich goalkeeper altered its trajectory. The FA's appeals process rejected the club's case and the two-game suspension was upheld.
Does the handball goal still count?
Yes. The goal stands in the record books and the 2-1 result at Carrow Road has not been changed. Only Heggebø receives a punishment, in the form of a two-match Championship ban, under the FA's retrospective misconduct process.