Belgium have become the first team to win a match after trailing by multiple goals with less than 5 minutes remaining as they defeated Senegal 3-2 in FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match in Seattle.
Published: July 2, 2026, 11:00 AM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-for-youri-tielmans-its-better-late-than-never-as-belgium-stun-senegal-to-reach-round-of-16-8463357/
Belgium’s Youri Tielmans (left) celebrates after scoring against Senegal in FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match. (Photo: IANS)
Belgium vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32: Belgium and their golden generation created history when they came back from two goals down with 4 minutes left in regulation time against Senegal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match at the Seattle Stadium on Wednesday. The Belgians became the first-ever side to complete such a comeback as Youri Tielemans came up with a last minute penalty to seal the win 3-2.
Tielmans completed a penalty in 124 minute and 44 seconds – the latest-ever strike in a World Cup match. Belgium also became the first team in FIFA World Cup history to win after trailing by multiple goals entering the final five minutes of regulation (86th minute or later).
Read more:
After FIFA World Cup 2026, ‘Z’ becomes exclusive rights holder for German Bundesliga in India
Senegal held a 2-0 lead with just 5 minutes of regulation time remaining but late goals by Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans pushed the round of 32 match into extra time. Tielemans completed Belgium’s comeback by converting a penalty in the 125th minute of the game – the latest goal in World Cup history.
“Being part of this comeback is a proud moment because I scored the last two goals to give the team the win today. I’m very proud of that to be able to help the team to score goals and bring us over the line,” Tielemans said.
This is proof that Senegal never deserved to be the true winners of the AFCON. Senegal never respected the AFCON competition. They walked off when a penalty was called for Morocco in the AFCON final!
Why didn’t they walk off this time when an unfair penalty was called against… pic.twitter.com/EpiZXoEumV— Harrismadeit (@1harrismadeit) July 1, 2026
Tielmans was controversially fouled with only seconds to go and with a penalty shootout looming, and the referee awarded the spot kick after VAR, ignoring protests from the entire Senegal team. “I do not want to interpret the decision. We all have different interpretations when it comes to awarding a penalty. I’d rather not comment, not interpreting the referee’s decision,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw was quoted as saying by AP news agency.
The Belgium win is the second time in the last 11 World Cups that a team trailed by two or more goals in the knockout round and advanced. Belgium also did so in a 3-2 victory over Japan in the round of 16 at the 2018 tournament.
Lukaku, who leads his nation in goals scored and is currently the 5th highest goal-scorer ever behind India’s Sunil Chettri, came off the bench to get Belgium back into the match by scoring in the 86th minute and setting the game up for Tielemans to force extra time.
“It is a cruel loss, as we were good in the game. We had the advantage. We were leading 2-0. However a football match is not an 85-minute one. Belgium came back, and we were not able to deal with that … We must congratulate Belgium as they progress,” Senegal’s Thiaw said after the match.
Belgium have reached the round of 16 for the third time in four World Cups. The team reached the quarterfinals in 2014 and the semifinals in 2018 but failed to get out of the group stage in 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Belgians will next face the United States on Monday in Seattle again.
