If you blinked in the final five minutes, you missed everything. Belgium were down 2-0, the clock was winding down, and Senegal’s Lions of Teranga were one foot into the Round of 16. And then — chaos. Pure, beautiful, heart-stopping chaos.
Final score: Belgium 3-2 Senegal. After extra time. After 125 gut-wrenching minutes. One of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history, and nobody saw it coming.
Senegal got the party started in the 25th minute when Sadio Mane’s cross was headed goalward by Ismaila Sarr, but his effort came off the post — and Habib Diarra was perfectly positioned to pounce on the rebound and break the deadlock. The Lions of Teranga were playing with purpose, pace, and a level of organisation that had Belgium completely rattled.
Just six minutes after halftime, Senegal doubled their lead in stunning fashion. A long pass from Moussa Niakhate was brilliantly controlled on the chest by Sarr, who held off two defenders before thundering the ball into the net. 2-0 Senegal. The Red Devils were on the brink. Rudi Garcia’s squad looked uninspired and lacked urgency, struggling to find any sustained attacking rhythm against a fierce and organized Senegalese press.
Then Belgium made the move that changed everything — Romelu Lukaku off the bench at half-time. For 35 minutes he made little impact. And then, in the 86th minute, with time almost gone, Lukaku turned the ball in at the near post from Thomas Meunier’s low cross. 2-1. Suddenly, Seattle held its breath.
Three minutes later — three — Tielemans made it 2-2. Leandro Trossard’s ball into the box from deep was headed into the net by Tielemans, and just like that, Belgium had dragged this match — kicking and screaming — into extra time. The Senegalese bench couldn’t believe it. Neither could anyone watching.
It was cruel on Senegal, who controlled much of the 90 minutes and struck the woodwork twice, but could not see out the game. That’s football. That’s exactly what makes this sport the most beautiful and brutal thing on the planet. Al Jazeera
Extra time came and went with both sides unable to find a winner — until fate intervened in the most dramatic fashion possible. Lamine Camara slid in on Tielemans as the ball flashed across the face of goal, and after a lengthy VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot. Penalty to Belgium. In the 125th minute. With the entire World Cup on the line. Al Jazeera
Tielemans held his nerve, slotting into the top-right corner to cap a frantic round-of-32 clash that will go down in World Cup history. And just like that, Senegal were out — eliminated in the most heartbreaking fashion imaginable. ESPN
Tielemans’ strike is set to be the latest winning goal scored in World Cup history, timed at 124 minutes and 44 seconds. That’s not just a goal — that’s a moment that will be replayed forever.
Man of the Match: Tielemans
