Belgium Stuns Senegal With Last-Minute Penalty to Reach World Cup Round of 16

Belgium delivered one of the most dramatic matches of the World Cup with a stunning comeback against Senegal, securing a 3-2 victory in extra time and advancing to the round of 16. Senegal had taken a commanding 2-0 lead with goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr, dominating much of the match and appearing on course for a historic win. However, Belgium fought back late in the game with Romelu Lukaku scoring in the 86th minute and Youri Tielemans equalizing three minutes later, sending the match into extra time.

In the 125th minute, a VAR review identified a penalty for Belgium deep into stoppage time. Tielemans, the Belgian captain, calmly converted the penalty to complete the comeback and secure Belgium’s place in the knockout stage. This goal set a new World Cup record as the latest goal ever scored in the tournament’s history, surpassing the previous record set in 2014.

Meanwhile, the host nation United States continued to impress by defeating Bosnia 2-0 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Florian Balogun opened the scoring just before halftime following a defensive error, and despite Bosnia being reduced to ten men after Balogun’s own foul on Tarik Muharemovic, Malik Tillman sealed the win with a free-kick goal in the 82nd minute. The U.S. team’s victory also advanced them to the round of 16, where they will face Belgium in a highly anticipated match scheduled for Tuesday at 3:00 AM.

The night featured intense moments, including Senegal players surrounding the penalty spot to delay Tielemans’ decisive kick, with some claiming the Belgian midfielder was under a "spell" or feigning injury. Tielemans remained unfazed, scoring the historic goal that will be remembered as one of the tournament’s most dramatic finishes.

The upcoming round of 16 clash between Belgium and the United States promises to be a thrilling encounter following their respective hard-fought victories.