Belgium pulls off epic comeback against Senegal to reach World Cup Round of 16

Belgium staged one of the most dramatic comebacks in World Cup history, defeating Senegal 3-2 in extra time to advance to the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The match seemed to be slipping away from the "Red Devils" as Senegal took a commanding 2-0 lead with goals from Habib Diarra in the 23rd minute and Ismaïla Sarr in the 50th minute. The Senegalese "Lions of Teranga" appeared to have secured a decisive victory. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Belgium mounted a furious late rally. Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute, and Youri Tielemans found the equalizer in the 89th minute, leveling the score just before the final whistle. This remarkable comeback marked the first time a team trailing by two goals in the 85th minute of a knockout stage match managed to equalize, giving Belgium the momentum heading into extra time.