England was able to defeat Denmark by a score of 2-1 in extra time, clinching their first finals berth in a major men’s tournament in 55 years. However, the win was not without a host of controversies that muddied the legitimacy of the match.

The first controversy came when Raheem Sterling was dribbling the soccer ball down the wing before being “fouled” in the penalty box. This led to the winning goal. As he dribbled down the wing, a second, identical silver ball emerged next to where Denmark’s defender was guarding Sterling. This arguably distracted the defenseman, who then was unable to play properly, losing mental focus and his positioning. This part of the play was reviewed by VAR, however, it was determined that this incident did not interrupt the sequence of events on the pitch in a meaningful manner. Interestingly enough, section 5.3 of The International Football Association Board’s Laws of the Game states that the play should be stopped in this instance.

The second controversial decision was rewarding Sterling with a penalty kick. Sterling was lightly grazed by the leg of Denmark defender Joakim Maehle. Sterling then fell to the ground, but the widespread consensus was that no penalty kick should have been given based on the nature of the contact. Even though VAR has the ability to overturn this call, it can only do so if there is an error so egregiously erroneous that there is no doubt it was the incorrect decision. Because it was not undebatably a penalty, the call stood.

The final controversy in the game came when Harry Kane lined up to take the awarded penalty kick. A laser pen was flashed in the face of Denmark’s goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel. Although Schmeichel did save the kick before being beaten by an unlucky rebound, the effect of the laser is unknown. UEFA can take action should they find it prudent once they analyze the referee’s postgame report. Lasers are considered a prohibited item at the 2020 Euros, and hosts of the event can face penalties for allowing such items in.

Despite all this, a win is a win. England will move on to the finals to take on Italy. Italy defeated Spain on Tuesday in a penalty shootout.

Former England and Premier League soccer star Trevor Sinclair has confessed to drunk driving and lacing racist language at a police officer.

Trevor Sinclair drunk-driving scandal news

The 44-year-old former winger — who played for Manchester City, West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers, among other teams — was convicted Tuesday for an incident that occurred in hometown of Lytham St. Anne’s in Lancashire, England on Nov. 12.

Sinclair has been sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid labor and is banned from driving for 20 months. He has also been ordered to pay £500 ($680) to the officer he abused. The former midfielder — now a TV pundit and patron of the anti-racism charity Kick It Out — was reportedly driving with more than twice the legal alcohol limit, (72 micrograms per 100 milliliters of breath vs. a 35mg legal limit) asked the cop if he was being arrested because he is black, and called the officer a “white c—.” Sinclair also urinated in a police car during the incident, Blackpool Magistrates’ Court stated.

Solicitor Nick Freeman said Sinclair was “totally appalled by his behavior, embarrassed and contrite”.

After Sinclair pled guilty, the prosecution reportedly dropped other charges including assault on a police officer, failing to provide a specimen and criminal damage.

Freeman, who represented Sinclair, said the “catalyst” behind his client’s actions that night was facing racism in front of his family while dining out hours earlier.

Freeman stated a woman had approached Sinclair, patted him on the head and called him a “little chocolate man.”

Later that evening, local police said they found Sinclair’s Tesla car stopped in the middle of the road in Blackpool after it had collided with a woman who had stepped into its path after stepping out of a taxi.

Gareth Evans, the abused policeman, released a statement that concluded: “Sinclair’s behavior following his arrest was awful. I’m not a racist. His behavior was extremely racist.”

The district judge told Sinclair: “In a truly civilised society racism has absolutely no place whatsoever. You have worked long hours to try to eradicate what is a real scourge in society. It’s also to enormous credit the work you do to try to get rid of racism.

“I don’t know how anybody copes with that sort of thing and comes through it unmarked. So it is particularly sad when events unfolded that night, the words you used that night. I’m confident, from all the things I have heard, you are unlikely to be troubling the police and courts again.”

Sinclair retired in 2008. He was also the assistant manager of Lancaster City from 2014-2015. He played for England’s senior national team from 2001-2003, a stint that included four appearances in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.  This incident is not Sinclair’s first run-in with the law. In 1998, he was convicted of causing criminal damage to a car after a night of drinking in an Essex nightclub.

Sinclair is the second English soccer star to be arrested for drunk-driving in recent months, following Wayne Rooney’s incident in September. Rooney received a two-year ban from driving following his conviction.