Belgium Stuns Senegal With Historic Late Penalty in World Cup Round of 16

Belgium secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Senegal in the World Cup Round of 16, completing a remarkable comeback after trailing 2-0. Senegal initially dominated, with Habib Diallo scoring in the first half and Ismaila Sarr doubling the lead early in the second half. For over 85 minutes, Senegal controlled the match, but Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute, followed by a Yuri Tielemans equalizer three minutes later, forcing extra time.

The climax came deep into added time of extra time when a VAR intervention awarded Belgium a penalty. Tielemans calmly converted the spot-kick in the 125th minute, marking the latest goal ever scored in World Cup history. The penalty execution was surrounded by intense drama, as Senegal players tried to delay the kick, protested the decision, and even staged a psychological ploy near the penalty spot, which some fans described as a "curse" or psychological warfare. Despite the chaos, Tielemans maintained his composure and scored decisively.

This comeback marked Belgium’s second in three recent World Cups where they overturned a two-goal deficit in a knockout match, recalling their 2018 Round of 16 win against Japan. The match has been widely hailed by global media as one of the most intense and brutal knockout games in recent World Cup history, remembered not only for the result but also for the extraordinary penalty drama and the late historic goal.

Senegal came agonizingly close to one of their greatest victories, but Belgium’s resilience and experience prevailed, sending the Red Devils into the quarterfinals.