Belgium stages dramatic comeback to beat Senegal in extra time, reaches World Cup round of 16
Translated from Icelandic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
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Outcome reported
- Belgium secured a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory against Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 in Seattle.
- Senegal led 2-0 in the second half before Belgium scored twice late in regulation and Youri Tielemans converted a penalty in extra time to win.
- Belgium advances to the round of 16, where they will face the winner of the United States vs. Bosnia match.
Belgium staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Senegal 3-2 in extra time, advancing to the round of 16 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match, held in Seattle, saw Senegal take a commanding 2-0 lead with goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.
Senegal's advantage seemed secure until the final minutes of regulation. Substitute Romelu Lukaku pulled one back for Belgium in the 86th minute, and Youri Tielemans equalized just three minutes later with a header. The dramatic turnaround forced the match into extra time.
Both teams had chances in the extra period, but the decisive moment came in the 119th minute. After a foul on Tielemans in the box was reviewed by VAR, a penalty was awarded. Tielemans stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick in the 120th minute, sealing Belgium's progression.
Belgium will now play either the United States or Bosnia in the next round.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Morgunblaðið in Icelandic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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