Belgium secured a dramatic comeback victory against Senegal, with a controversial late penalty converted by Youri Tielemans in the 122nd minute. This spot-kick propelled Rudi Garcia’s side into the last 16 of the World Cup. Earlier in the match, Belgium had been trailing Senegal 2-0 after 85 minutes.
The decisive penalty was awarded after VAR review, which highlighted Lamine Kamara making contact with Youri Tielemans’s ankle. This occurred moments before Dodi Lukébakio struck the crossbar. The referee, Saíd Martínez, initially allowed play to continue but later awarded the penalty after consultation.
Belgium’s Second-Half Rally
Belgium found themselves in a difficult position, appearing set to exit the tournament alongside teams like Germany and the Netherlands. However, Garcia’s team rallied, pushing the game into extra time. Romelu Lukaku, who came on as a half-time substitute, and Youri Tielemans each scored, netting two goals in three minutes to cancel out earlier goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr.
Lukaku’s introduction for Charles De Ketelaere had a gradual impact, eventually leading to him converting a cross from fellow substitute Thomas Meunier. Lukébakio also contributed from the bench, replacing Jérémy Doku. Another substitute, Nico Raskin, mediated a discussion between Tielemans and Leandro Trossard, having replaced Kevin De Bruyne.
The match could have taken a different turn with only six minutes of regular time remaining, as Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save to prevent Senegal from extending their lead to 3-0. Sadio Mané, who was influential in Diarra’s opening goal, was denied by Courtois during his own attempt.
Senegal’s Early Dominance
Senegal started strongly, with Ismaïla Sarr hitting the post in the 12th minute. Their opening goal came midway through the first half when Sarr’s header from Mané’s cross again struck the post, but Habib Diarra was on hand to score past Courtois from close range. Diarra celebrated with the Senegalese supporters as Garcia urged his team to remain composed.
Senegal continued to press, with Diarra missing a chance after Mané bypassed Timothy Castagne. Moments later, Sarr doubled Senegal’s lead. Moussa Niakhaté delivered a diagonal ball towards the edge of Belgium’s 18-yard box. Sarr, despite being challenged by three Belgium defenders and having the run on Arthur Theate, controlled the ball on his chest, allowed it to bounce, and then struck it past Courtois. At this point, a Belgium victory seemed unlikely.
Concerns about Belgium’s squad, including their age, energy levels, and the fitness of key players, had been highlighted in previous performances, such as draws against Egypt and Iran in the group stage. Their 5-1 win over New Zealand, the lowest-ranked team in the competition, was their first truly cohesive performance in the tournament.
Senegal, on the other hand, had secured a 5-0 victory over Iraq to advance from their group as one of the best third-placed teams. Their energetic and forward-thinking approach was seen as a potential challenge to Belgium’s reliance on players like Kevin De Bruyne. Senegal’s manager, Pape Thiaw, has been credited with doing a strong job with the team.
Youri Tielemans then scored Belgium’s equaliser with a header after meeting Trossard’s cross. Tielemans had indicated to Trossard where to deliver the ball, pointing to the space behind Moussa Niakhaté. The midfielder, positioned between Niakhaté and Ismail Jakobs, rose to beat Mory Diaw, the Senegal goalkeeper who was deputising for Édouard Mendy.
Source: theguardian.com