In a breathtaking turn of events, Belgium secured their spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 with a dramatic late-night victory over Senegal. The match, played on July 1st, ended in a 3-2 triumph after an unforgettable sequence of events in extra time.
Senegal dominated early, taking a commanding 2-0 lead by the 51st minute through Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr. Belgium, however, refused to surrender. Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans struck in the dying moments of regulation to force extra time.
A late surge rewrites the script
Rudi Garcia’s adjustments at halftime injected fresh energy into the Belgian side. Lukaku’s introduction paved the way for their resurgence. Tielemans’ header in the 89th minute leveled the scores, setting the stage for a nerve-wracking conclusion.
The final whistle loomed when Dodi Lukébakio’s effort hit the crossbar in the 117th minute. But fate intervened—a VAR review awarded Belgium a penalty, which Tielemans converted with ice-cold precision, sparking jubilant celebrations.
“In football, anything is possible as long as you believe. This team’s strength lies in those who come off the bench—you can’t win with just eleven players,” Garcia reflected after the match.
Belgium, semifinalists in 2018 but ousted in the group stage four years ago, will face the winner of the United States vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina tie in their next fixture on July 7th.
For Senegal, their World Cup journey ended in heartbreak. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t hold onto their lead. Their coach, Pape Thiaw, admitted the pain of elimination: “We’re out, and it hurts. We must congratulate the team for giving everything, but we couldn’t manage our advantage.”