Belgium stun Senegal, seal thrilling World Cup last-16 qualification
Belgium fought back from two goals down again, repeating their memorable 2018 comeback to book another dramatic World Cup victory.
- Senegal led 2-0 courtesy of Habib Diarra (26′) and Ismaila Sarr (second half).
- Romelu Lukaku introduced at halftime; scored in the 86th minute to make it 2-1.
- Youri Tielemans headed in at 89′ to equalize and force extra time.
- VAR awarded Belgium a penalty in extra time after Tielemans was fouled.
- Tielemans converted the penalty, completing the comeback and sealing the win.
- Belgium progress to Round of 16; will face USA or Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 6.
Seattle — It felt like a script written for the theatre of the absurd: Belgium, trailing 2-0 with five minutes left on the clock at Seattle Stadium, produced one of the most improbable comebacks of this World Cup to beat Senegal and book a place in the Round of 16. What had looked like a neat, clinical win for the West Africans dissolved into chaos as the Red Devils staged a late, breathtaking revival.
Senegal had been the brighter, more composed side for long stretches. The breakthrough came in the 26th minute when Habib Diarra reacted fastest to pounce on a rebound after a header cannoned off the post, giving Senegal a deserved lead. Belgium had spells of pressure before half-time — including a long-range effort from Maxim De Cuyper that flashed wide — but they lacked the cutting edge to convert possession into goals.
Rudi Garcia’s decision to bring Romelu Lukaku off the bench at the start of the second half injected much-needed firepower, but Senegal struck again soon afterwards. Ismaila Sarr doubled the visitors’ lead, and suddenly Belgium faced a mountain: two goals to find and not much time on the clock. For long minutes the stadium buzzed with the sense that Senegal would see out a famous victory.
What followed, however, belonged to the kind of comeback that turns players into legends in a single night. in one swift motion. The crowd, which had been a study in nervous energy, suddenly smelled the possibility.
Just three minutes later the improbable became possible when Youri Tielemans powered a header from a Leandro Trossard cross into the net to level the score. The stadium erupted; teammates clung together, and Senegal’s previously controlled composure gave way to visible frustration. The match, which had seemed to be heading for the knife-edge lottery of penalties, had flipped entirely.
Tielemans himself stepped up and coolly dispatched the spot‑kick, sending the keeper the wrong way and sparking wild celebration among the Belgian contingent. It was a fitting moment of redemption for the midfielder, whose late header had already rewritten the script.
When the referee blew the final whistle, the Red Devils — exhausted, elated and perhaps a little shocked — celebrated a comeback for the ages. For Senegal, the game will sting: a solid performance undone by two late lapses and a single moment of marginal review.
This victory also underlines Belgium’s reputation as a team never to be written off, even when the scoreboard appears decisive. The psychological lift of such wins can be enormous, and Belgium will take that momentum forward.
Belgium will stay in Seattle to prepare for the Round of 16 on July 6, when they will face either host nation USA or Bosnia and Herzegovina. For Senegal, the pain of a squandered lead will be harsh, but their tournament performance underlined they remain a dangerous, well-drilled side capable of troubling any opponent.