Belgium completes unbelievable comeback in extra time to break Senegal's hearts on day four of the World Cup round of 32

Wednesday brought day 4 of the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, with another 3 games to determine the fate of 6 teams in the tournament. The middle game of the three saw Group G winners Belgium take on Senegal, who finished 3rd in Group I. 

Rudi Garcia opted to keep the exact same starting XI that had started the 5-1 hammering of New Zealand in their final group-stage game. Charles De Ketelaere kept his place as the lone striker up top, while Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard, and Jeremy Doku made up the 3 behind him. 

Pape Thiaw opted to make 3 personnel changes to the side that started the 5-0 battering of Iraq in their final group stage game. Ibrahim Mbaye, Lamine Camara, and Abdoulaye Seck all came off the bench and were replaced by Pathe Ismael Ciss, Pape Gueye, and Iliman Ndiaye. 

General view as players from both teams walk out onto the pitch before the match

Lee Smith

World Cup Round of 32  - Belgium vs Senegal

Senegal started the game well, but it was Belgium who tested the goalkeeper first, when Leandro Trossard's shot from outside the box was well saved by Mory Thiaw in the Senegal goal. Ismaila Sarr then had a golden opportunity to put Senegal in the lead when Courtois fumbled a cross, but the Senegal striker hit the post with his initial effort and then sent the rebound wide. 

Idrissa Gueye went close a few minutes later with a volley from just outside the box, but it was straight at Courtois. Senegal looked the much better side in the opening stages, and they continued to grow their control as the first half went on. 

25 minutes into the first half, Senegal broke the deadlock when Ismaila Sarr’s header bounced off the post, and Sunderland’s Habib Diarra slotted in the rebound from close range to put Senegal 1-0 up.

Senegal's Nicolas Jackson in action with Belgium's Timothy Castagne

Albert Gea

The game slowed down a little coming out of the first hydration break, and Belgium grew into the game as the first half concluded with Doku going close when his deflected cross almost wrong-footed Thiaw in goal, but the keeper did well to recover and save the deflected effort. De Cruyper then tested Thiaw with a shot from outside the box at the stroke of half-time, but Thiaw got down well to make a great save and send his team into the halftime break with a one-goal advantage. 

5 minutes into the 2nd half, Diarra had a golden chance to double his goal tally and his nation's lead when the ball was played to him in the middle of the box, but he dragged his shot wide of the post. The miss wasn’t rued for long by Senegal, as a minute or so later, Senegal went on to score a goal that was a contender for goal of the tournament. 

Ismaila Sarr made a brilliant run through the middle of the Belgium center-back, and Moussa Niakhate played an elite ball over the top that Sarr took down with his chest with one of the most impressive touches I’ve seen in a long time. The Senegal forward then smashed a half-volley past Courtois into the top-right corner to double his nation’s lead. 

Senegal was cruising from that point onwards, but Belgium sent them a warning shot just before the 80th minute, when substitute Dodi Lukebakio’s shot from the corner of the box went wide of the far top corner. 

Belgium's Youri Tielemans scores their third goal from the penalty spot

BLAKE DAHLIN

Then utter chaos ensued in the final few minutes, and the game was flipped on its head when Belgium grabbed a goal back through Romelu Lukaku after the forward got onto the end of a Thomas Meunier cross and converted well to make it 2-1. Barely two minutes later, Belgium grabbed a shocking equalizer when a Leandro Trossard cross confused Thiaw, who came out of his line, but was beaten by Tielemans, and the Belgian midfielder headed home to break Senegal's hearts and send the game into extra time. 

Extra time began, and Lukaku went close for Belgium around the 100th minute when he got onto the end of a cross at the near post, but the forward couldn’t make enough contact to poke it past Thiaw. Senegal came close a few minutes later when Ibrahim Mbaye came seriously close to heading the ball into the top corner, but it just missed. 

When it all looked like we were set for yet another penalty shootout to determine a knockout game at this World Cup, absolute mayhem ensued. After Lukebakio hit the bar, there was a VAR check for a potential penalty to Belgium, with just two minutes of extra time to play. 

Belgium's Nicolas Raskin, Belgium's Youri Tielemans and Belgium's Thomas Meunier celebrate after the match as Belgium qualify for the Round of 16 stage of the World Cup

BLAKE DAHLIN

After a lengthy review, with the referee going to the VAR monitor on the field, it was determined that Lamine Camara kicked Youri Tielemans in the back of the leg as the Belgian midfielder approached a cross, and a penalty was awarded. Tielemans stepped up and took one of the best penalties you’ll see, sticking the ball right into the top corner, to truly break Senegalese hearts and send Belgium through to the knockout stages to play the winner of USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Day 5 of the Round of 32

Tomorrow brings us another 3 knockout games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Spain play Austria in the first game of the day, Portugal play Croatia in the 2nd, and Switzerland take on Algeria in the final.