World Cup 2026: Belgium fight back from two goals down to beat Senegal in extra time

Youri Tielemans struck a 125th-minute penalty as Belgium rallied from two goals down to defeat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup last-32 clash in Seattle on Wednesday, keeping alive 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 review, with the Belgian 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 into the next round before Belgium scored twice in the final four minutes through Romelu Lukaku and a Tielemans header to force extra time.

Belgium now face the winners of Wednesday's last-32 clash between co-hosts the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the next round in Seattle on Monday.

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Lukaku looked set to take the penalty but, at the last moment, 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!"

The midfielder 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 at other times."

It was cruel on Senegal, who controlled much of the 90 minutes and also struck the woodwork twice, but could not see the game out.

When they broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, it came as no surprise. Sadio Mané's cross was headed goalwards by Sarr, but his effort came back off the post.

This time, the loose ball fell kindly for Diarra, who side-footed home from seven yards.

Lukaku comes 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 Niakhaté was brilliantly controlled on the chest by 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, before Leandro Trossard's deep delivery into the box was headed into the net by Tielemans.

The pair 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 once again at the heart of the action with the winner.

"I believe that our team deserved it (to win)," Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said. "Unfortunately, we are eliminated. I'm extremely sad, and so are the players. They deserved the win, but it didn't work out in our favour today."