For 85 minutes, Senegal were the better team. Better organised, more clinical, more composed. They led 2–0 and were almost through to the Round of 16 when Belgium turned this match — and then, deep in extra time, a penalty that Senegal will argue about for years, completed one of the most dramatic comebacks in FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Belgium 3–2 Senegal after extra time. The Lions of Teranga are out. The Red Devils survive. Barely. And by whatever margin a VAR screen and a penalty spot can provide.
Belgium are through to the Round of 16. Stream every FIFA World Cup 2026™ knockout match live on ZEE 5 — get the ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription Quarterly Plan at ₹799 and watch every twist and turn.
First Half: Senegal’s Control
Senegal were the better team from the opening whistle, controlling the tempo in the first half and limiting Belgium to the odd speculative attempt from De Bruyne. The goal arrived in the 24th minute — Habib Diarra driving home a rebound after a prior attempt cannoned off the post. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did not cover himself in glory in the build-up.
Belgium offered little in the way of a creative response. Kevin De Bruyne probed without finding a way through. Leandro Trossard had moments but could not carve out genuine chances. Senegal went into the break deserving their lead and looking entirely capable of extending it.
51′ — Sarr Makes It Two
The Lions of Teranga did not sit back. Six minutes into the second half, Ismaïla Sarr — who had missed an open goal in the first half of this very match — found the net to make it 2–0. After his earlier miss, it was a redemptive moment. Belgium were two down and running out of time.
For the next 35 minutes, Senegal managed the game. Belgium pressed, created little, and began to look like a team heading home. Roberto Martinez’s side had no answer. And then they had two — in under three minutes.
86’–89′ — Three Minutes That Changed Everything
The 86th minute. Romelu Lukaku, introduced as a substitute, provided the clinical spark Belgium had been missing all night. He pulled one back — 1–2.
161 seconds later, Belgium equalised. Leandro Trossard delivered a cross from the left and Youri Tielemans rose to meet it — a powerful, committed header that flew into the net. 2–2. The Seattle stadium that had been preparing itself for a Senegalese celebration was suddenly watching extra time.
Senegal had been 5 minutes away from the Round of 16. They were now playing 30 more minutes.
Extra Time: The Penalty That Decided It
Extra time was tense, tight, and largely goalless until the fifth minute of second-period added time — effectively the last action of the match. A VAR review was triggered for a foul on Tielemans inside the Senegalese penalty area. The referee consulted the monitor and pointed to the spot.
Senegal’s protests were immediate and furious. The contact was marginal. Whether it met the threshold for a penalty is genuinely debatable. But the decision was made, and Tielemans stepped up.
He sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and curled it into the top-right corner. 3–2. Seconds later, the full-time whistle. Belgium through. Senegal out.
Senegal’s Exit
They deserved better than this. They were the better side for the majority of 120 minutes. They conceded two goals in three minutes from a team that had produced nothing for an hour, and then lost a match they were controlling on a penalty awarded after a VAR review in injury time of extra time.
It is the cruellest kind of exit. Mané, Ndiaye, Sarr, and Diarra had played a tournament that should have carried them further. Football did not cooperate tonight.
Watch Belgium vs Senegal Match Highlight Free Only On ZEE5
What Comes Next for Belgium
Belgium advance to face the winner of the USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina tie in the Round of 16. They will know they were lucky. Lukaku’s impact off the bench suggests Martinez may reconsider his starting lineup for the next round. De Bruyne, for all his quality, was quiet for long stretches tonight.
They are through. They are flawed. They will need to be significantly better in the Round of 16. This match is one for the books.
Belgium’s Round of 16 clash is coming — stream every FIFA World Cup 2026™ match live on ZEE 5, India’s official home of the World Cup.
Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.
