Belgium stuns Senegal with late comeback, reaches World Cup round of 16

Belgium was down 2-0 with fewer than five minutes left and still beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time at Seattle Stadium, turning a round-of-32 match into one of the wildest finishes of the 2026 World Cup. The result sent Belgium into the round of 16 and kept alive its bid in a tournament defined by longer margins for error and, this year, by a 48-team format and 104 matches.

Senegal had built a commanding position through goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr, and Belgium looked finished as the clock slipped past 85 minutes. Then Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute, Youri Tielemans equalized in the 89th, and Senegal’s late control vanished in a span measured in moments rather than minutes. What had looked like a disciplined closing stretch for Senegal became a scramble, with Belgium pressing every loose ball and forcing the match into extra time.

The decisive moment came deep into added time. Tielemans converted a penalty in the 125th minute, or 120+5, after a VAR review, giving Belgium a comeback that was both dramatic and contentious. The final 3-2 scoreline reflected how quickly the balance changed once Senegal lost its structure and Belgium kept its composure long enough to punish it.

Belgium arrived in Seattle as the winner of Group G, while Senegal advanced as one of the eight best third-place teams. That context mattered: Belgium entered the knockout stage with a stronger group-stage record, but Senegal was still the side in control until the closing minutes. The winner of the match moved on to the round of 16 and could be paired with the United States in the next round.

For Belgium, the victory was more than survival. It was a reminder that late-game pressure can expose a team’s shape, decision-making and nerve all at once, and that a single burst of precision from Lukaku and Tielemans can overturn 90 minutes of control in less than 10.