Belgium reach last 16 defeating Senegal

Belgium stage dramatic comeback to defeat Senegal in world cup thriller

Belgium secured a place in the last 16 of the World Cup following a sensational recovery against Senegal at Seattle Stadium. Trailing by two goals as the clock ticked toward full time, the European side rallied to force extra time before snatching a controversial victory in the closing moments of the match.

The contest began with an impressive display from the West African nation, who took a deserved lead in the 24th minute through Habib Diarra. Ismaila Sarr extended that advantage shortly after the interval, leaving the Belgian side staring at an early tournament exit. With Rudi Garcia's men struggling to find their rhythm, tempers flared on the pitch, leading to a heated exchange between teammates that required Romelu Lukaku to intervene.

Hope finally arrived in the 86th minute when substitute Lukaku connected with a Thomas Meunier cross to reduce the deficit. The momentum shifted entirely just three minutes later. Leandro Trossard whipped a delivery into the box that bypassed goalkeeper Mory Diaw, allowing Youri Tielemans to head home the equaliser and drag the fixture into an additional 30 minutes.

The drama reached its peak deep into extra time. Following a lengthy seven-minute video assistant referee review, Belgium received a penalty after Lamine Camara was adjudged to have challenged Tielemans unfairly during a sequence that saw a previous strike hit the woodwork. Under immense pressure, the Aston Villa midfielder stepped up in the 125th minute and coolly dispatched the spot-kick into the top corner.

This win sets up a high-stakes round of 16 encounter for Belgium against either the United States or Bosnia-Herzegovina. While Senegal will reflect on a missed opportunity after dominating much of the regulation period, Belgium continues their campaign, having demonstrated the kind of resilience that defines tournament favourites. The match drew a capacity crowd of 66,925 spectators, all of whom witnessed one of the most unpredictable finishes in recent football history.

-BBC