Youri Tielemans struck a 125th-minute penalty as Belgium rallied from two goals down and defeated Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup last-32 clash in Seattle on Wednesday (Jun 30) to keep alive their title hopes that had looked dead and buried.
Senegal's Lamine Camara slid in on Tielemans as the ball flashed across the face of goal and conceded the spot-kick after a video assistant referee (VAR) review, with the Belgian midfielder picking out the top corner to complete an extraordinary comeback.
Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr had given Senegal a deserved 2-0 lead and they looked to be cruising through to the next round, before Belgium netted twice in the final four minutes through Romelu Lukaku and a Tielemans header to force extra time.
Belgium now face the winner of Wednesday’s last-32 clash between co-hosts United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the next round in Seattle on Monday.
Lukaku looked set to take the penalty, but at the last minute, he handed the ball to captain Tielemans.
"We talked for a while. Romelu said, 'take it'. And I was ready to take it," Tielemans told Sporza.
“I am very proud to be captain of this team. We are all winners and try to do our best. Whether we will analyse this match tomorrow? I hope the day after tomorrow, first a day off!”
Tielemans believed it was the players off the bench who made the difference.
"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.”
It was cruel on Senegal, who controlled much of the 90 minutes and also struck the woodwork twice, but could not see out the game.
When they broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, it was no surprise. Sadio Mane's cross was headed goalwards by Sarr, but his effort came off the post again.
This time the loose ball fell kindly for Diarra, and he side-footed home from seven yards.
LUKAKU ON AT HALF-TIME
Belgium brought on Lukaku for the ineffective Charles De Ketelaere at half-time, but were soon 2-0 down.
A stunning long pass from Moussa Niakhate was brilliantly controlled on the chest of Sarr, who held off two defenders before thundering the ball into the net in the 51st minute.
Belgium struggled to create clear-cut chances until the final five minutes, and almost out of nowhere turned the game on its head.
First Lukaku turned the ball in at the near post from Thomas Meunier's low cross and Leandro Trossard's ball into the box from deep was headed into the net by Tielemans.
Those two had been involved in a heated exchange earlier in the match but it was all smiles and hugs when the equaliser went in, before Tielemans was central again in the winner.
"I believe that our team deserved it (to win)," 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.”
Source: Reuters
– Agencies
