SEATTLE : Belgium produced a remarkable late comeback before beating Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup Round of 32 clash on Wednesday, with captain Youri Tielemans converting a 125th-minute penalty to send his side into the last 16.
Belgium trailed 2-0 in the 86th minute before Romelu Lukaku and Tielemans scored in the closing stages of normal time to force extra time.
Tielemans then kept his nerve from the penalty spot after Senegal’s Lamine Camara brought him down inside the area. Following a VAR review, the Belgian captain fired his spot kick into the top corner to complete a dramatic turnaround.
Belgium will face co-hosts the United States in the last 16 in Seattle on Monday.
Lukaku appeared set to take the decisive penalty before handing the ball to Tielemans.
“We talked for a while. Romelu said, ‘take it’. And I was ready to take it,” Tielemans told Belgian broadcaster Sporza.
“I am very proud to be captain of this team. We are all winners and try to do our best.”
Asked whether Belgium would analyse the match immediately, he added: “I hope the day after tomorrow, first a day off.”
Tielemans credited Belgium’s substitutes with changing the game.
“We fell behind and then it’s up to us to try to show a reaction. We did,” he said.
“It was the bench players who made the difference again, especially for that first goal. Everyone gives everything and sometimes it works better than other times.”
The defeat was a cruel blow for Senegal, who controlled much of the match and struck the woodwork twice but were unable to protect their lead.
They opened the scoring in the 25th minute after Sadio Mane’s cross found Ismaila Sarr, whose header came back off the post before Habib Diarra reacted quickest to side-foot home the rebound.
Belgium introduced Lukaku at halftime in place of Charles De Ketelaere, but the substitution appeared to have little immediate effect.
Instead, Senegal doubled their lead six minutes into the second half when Moussa Niakhate’s long pass was brilliantly controlled by Sarr, who held off two defenders before smashing his finish past the goalkeeper.
Belgium struggled to create clear chances until the closing minutes but mounted an extraordinary fightback.
Lukaku pulled one back by turning Thomas Meunier’s low cross into the net at the near post before Tielemans headed home from Leandro Trossard’s deep delivery to level the score.
The equaliser came despite the pair having been involved in a heated exchange earlier in the match, with the tension replaced by celebrations after Belgium’s second goal.
Tielemans then completed the comeback with his late penalty after Camara’s foul was confirmed following a VAR review.
“I believe that our team deserved it,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said.
“Unfortunately, we are eliminated. I’m extremely sad, so are the players. They did deserve the win but it didn’t work out in our favour today.”
