Coach praises Belgium's fighting spirit after player spat in World Cup comeback

Belgium staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Senegal 3-2, securing their place in the World Cup knockout stages. The match was not without its drama, as midfielder Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans were seen arguing midway through the second half when Belgium trailed 0-2.

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I like it. It means we have a team full of energy. Leandro and Youri are two important players for us. They really want to win.

Romelu Lukaku stepped in to de-escalate the situation between his teammates. Coach Rudi Garcia, however, saw the heated exchange as a sign of the team's passion and desire to win. "I like it. It means we have a team full of energy. Leandro and Youri are two important players for us. They really want to win," Garcia stated, according to Reuters.

The argument occurred around the 70-minute mark when Trossard expressed frustration over not receiving a pass from Tielemans. "I don't actually know why they argued. But I like to see players who want to do everything to turn the situation around when things are not going well for us," Garcia added.

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I don't actually know why they argued. But I like to see players who want to do everything to turn the situation around when things are not going well for us.

Belgium's comeback began late in the game. Romelu Lukaku scored to make it 1-2 four minutes before full-time. Shortly after, Youri Tielemans equalized with a header. The match went into stoppage time, where Tielemans converted a penalty to complete the dramatic turnaround.

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A game doesn't just last 85 minutes. Belgium fought their way back, and we were unable to handle it.

Senegal's coach, Pape Thiaw, expressed his disappointment, acknowledging that football can be painful. "A game doesn't just last 85 minutes. Belgium fought their way back, and we were unable to handle it," he said. "Football can hurt. It's not easy for me and the players. I feel they gave everything they had. They wanted to do this for our country, but it didn't work out," Thiaw told Reuters. Belgium will face the USA in the next round.

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Football can hurt. It's not easy for me and the players. I feel they gave everything they had. They wanted to do this for our country, but it didn't work out.