Belgium’s remarkable turnaround
Senegal faced a dramatic exit from the World Cup after a late comeback by Belgium, which included a controversial penalty decision. Pape Thiaw‘s side had established a 2-0 lead against the 2018 semi-finalists with only four minutes remaining in normal time, thanks to goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr. However, Belgium managed to equalize and then secure a win deep into extra time.
The turning point began in the 86th minute when Romelu Lukaku scored, giving Belgium hope. Just three minutes later, captain Youri Tielemans headed in an equalizer from Leandro Trossard‘s cross, forcing the match into extra time. This marked the latest any team had trailed by two or more goals in regulation time at a World Cup and still avoided defeat. Former England striker Dion Dublin commented on the unexpected nature of the game, stating, “Football is just crazy. I couldn’t call any of this game.”
The decisive moment came with a penalty awarded to Belgium after a VAR review for a challenge by Lamine Camara on Tielemans. Tielemans converted the penalty 125 minutes into the match, making it the latest goal scored in World Cup history. This outcome left Senegal with a sense of grievance, reminiscent of their experience in the Africa Cup of Nations final earlier in the year.
Controversy and past experiences
The penalty decision that sealed Senegal‘s fate drew criticism. Former England defender Gary Neville stated, “I genuinely don’t believe that is a penalty,” while Roy Keane described it as “a bit harsh.” The time taken by the referee, Saíd Martínez, to review the incident also raised questions. Camara, who was involved in the challenge, was visibly upset at the final whistle.
This dramatic loss brought back memories for Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations final in January. In that match, a stoppage-time penalty was awarded against them after a VAR check, leading to coach Pape Thiaw leading his team off the field in protest. This action ultimately resulted in Senegal being stripped of the title despite having won the match 1-0 against the hosts. Coach Thiaw acknowledged the difficulty of the recent loss, stating, “We’re out – it hurts. We must congratulate the team, who gave it their all, but unfortunately we weren’t able to hold on to our two-goal lead. We have to accept this. That’s football.”
Belgium‘s comeback was not entirely unprecedented for some of their players. Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier, Romelu Lukaku, and Kevin De Bruyne were all part of the squad that overcame a 2-0 deficit against Japan in 2018 to win 3-2 and reach the quarter-finals. Rudi Garcia, Belgium‘s coach, highlighted the importance of squad depth and belief, noting that “the strength of this squad also lies in the players who come off the bench, because you can’t get results with just 11 players.”
Belgium’s resilience and future fixture
Despite concerns about the age of some key players, Belgium‘s “golden generation” demonstrated their continued relevance. Romelu Lukaku, who played only 69 minutes of club football last season, made a significant impact after coming on as a substitute, scoring a crucial goal. Kevin De Bruyne, though substituted in the 58th minute, is still considered vital for creativity. Lukaku also played a role in mediating a heated exchange between teammates Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard during a hydration break, an incident coach Garcia viewed positively as a sign of grit.
Senegal had initially dominated the match, with Ismaila Sarr hitting the post early on and scoring to double their lead. Thibaut Courtois also made a key save to prevent Senegal from extending their lead to 3-0 before Belgium‘s comeback began. Belgium‘s ability to recover from a two-goal deficit showcased their resilience, with Garcia emphasizing the importance of belief in football. Belgium will now face co-hosts United States in the last 16.
The match concluded with Youri Tielemans converting the penalty at 124 minutes and 44 seconds.
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Source: bbc.com
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Joel Kavanagh is a Sports News Writer at News-GB. He started on a Midlands sports desk. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from De Montfort University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Leicester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight calendar. “In sport news, the first ten minutes decide everything.”