Youri Tielemans stood over the penalty spot with the clock already beyond 124 minutes. Senegal had led, pressed, hit Belgium with pace, and spent most of the night looking like the better side. Now their tournament rested on one kick after a long VAR check turned a late Belgium attack into the match’s final defining moment.
Tielemans took it. He drove the penalty high to the right and completed a 3:2 extra time win that Belgium barely seemed capable of producing for most of the match. Senegal had gone 2:0 up through Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr. Romelu Lukaku started the recovery in the 86th minute. Tielemans headed Belgium level in the 89th, then finished the job from the spot deep into extra time.
Belgium survived. Senegal was left with one of the harshest exits of the tournament.
Senegal Took The Game To Belgium Early
Aliou Cissé’s players did not wait for Belgium to dictate the match. They pressed high enough to disturb Belgium’s buildup, attacked quickly after turnovers and used Sarr’s movement to pull the Belgian defence out of shape.
Their 1st goal came in the 25th minute. Sadio Mané’s delivery found Sarr, whose header struck the post. Diarra reacted quickest and swept the rebound past Thibaut Courtois from close range.
Belgium looked stretched and uncomfortable. Kevin De Bruyne struggled to impose control through midfield. Jérémy Doku found little space to run into. Charles De Ketelaere could not give Belgium a reliable focal point up front.
Senegal doubled the lead in the 51st minute with the best move of the match. Moussa Niakhaté sent a long ball forward, Sarr took it on his chest and finished past Courtois with the composure of a player who had troubled Belgium all night.
Up 2:0, Senegal were not hanging on. They were controlling the terms of the game.
Garcia Turns To The Bench And Changes The Match
Rudi Garcia had already moved at halftime, sending on Lukaku for De Ketelaere. The change gave Belgium a striker who could hold contact, attack the near post and force Senegal’s centre-backs to defend deeper.
Then came the bold call in the 56th minute. De Bruyne and Doku came off. Nicolas Raskin and Dodi Lukebakio came on. It looked risky because Belgium was removing 2 of their biggest names while chasing the match. It worked because Belgium needed energy more than reputation.
Thomas Meunier entered in the 78th minute and soon became essential. In the 86th minute, he drove a low cross into the box. Lukaku met it at the near post and turned it in.
Suddenly, Senegal had a different problem. The match no longer moved at their pace. Belgium threw more bodies forward, Lukaku occupied defenders, and the pressure finally reached Mory Diaw’s goal.
Three minutes later, Belgium were level. Trossard delivered from deep, and Tielemans attacked the space with a brave header. The captain had been visibly angry during Belgium’s messy spell. In the 89th minute, that edge became exactly what his team needed.
Tielemans Owns The Final Moment
Extra time looked destined for penalties until Belgium forced one more scramble across the Senegal box. Lamine Camara challenged Tielemans as the ball moved through the area. Play continued for a moment, but the check changed everything.
The stadium seemed to split during the wait. Belgian players pointed toward the spot. Senegal’s defenders surrounded the referee and argued their case. Around them, the noise rose and dropped in waves as the replay played out on the big screen. Every pause made the moment heavier. Every second dragged the match closer to a decision that would either send Belgium to penalties or hand them a chance to win it immediately.
Referee Héctor Martínez awarded the penalty after the review. Senegal’s protest only grew louder. Pathé Ciss went down near the spot; teammates kept appealing, and Belgium’s players tried to pull their focus back to the kick.
Lukaku first looked ready to take it. Then the ball went to Tielemans.
“We talked for a while. Romelu said, take it. And I was ready to take it.”
Tielemans told Sporza.
The finish matched the responsibility. Tielemans picked the top corner and scored what was timed at 124 minutes and 44 seconds. Belgium had gone from almost out in normal time to ahead with almost no time left.
Senegal still found one final push. They won a dangerous free kick near the edge of the area, but Pape Sarr sent it over. Moments later, Belgium had their place in the last 16.
Senegal Left Stunned By A Turnaround From Nowhere
This result will hurt Senegal because they were not chasing the match for most of the night. They led by 2 goals. They struck the woodwork twice. Courtois had to make important saves before Belgium’s comeback even began.
Then came the swing that will follow both teams long after Seattle. In the 86th minute, Belgium were staring at elimination. By the 89th, they had forced extra time. By the 125th, Tielemans had turned survival into victory.
For Senegal, it was a collapse from a winning position. For Belgium, it was one of those knockout escapes that changes the mood of an entire tournament.
When stoppage time began, Senegal was protecting a 2-goal lead. When the final whistle came, their players were on the grass, and Belgium were walking toward the last 16. That is the cruelty of knockout football: a match can belong to one team for almost an entire night, then turn forever in a few desperate minutes.
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FAQs
Q1. Who scored Belgium’s winning goal against Senegal?
A. Youri Tielemans scored the winner from the penalty spot deep into extra time. Belgium won 3:2 and reached the last 16.
Q2. How did Belgium come back against Senegal?
A. Belgium trailed 2:0 late in normal time. Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute, and Tielemans equalized in the 89th.
Q3. Why was Belgium awarded a late penalty?
A. Belgium won the penalty after a VAR review for a challenge on Tielemans inside the Senegal box. Tielemans then scored the decisive kick.
Q4. Who scored for Senegal against Belgium?
A. Habib Diarra scored in the 25th minute, and Ismaïla Sarr added Senegal’s second goal in the 51st minute.
Q5. Where was Belgium vs Senegal played?
A. The match was played in Seattle. Belgium will stay alive in the World Cup after one of the tournament’s most dramatic turnarounds.
Front row energy everywhere I go. Chasing championships and good times. 🏆🏁✨
