Senegal and Belgium rely on forwards for Round of 32 duel

Senegal and Belgium's star attackers, Sadio Mané and Jérémy Doku respectively, have yet to find their lethal form in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as their teams prepare for a critical Round of 32 clash. Both players will need to sharpen their aim when they meet on Wednesday in Seattle.

Doku, 24, arrived with high expectations following a strong Premier League season with Manchester City. However, a respiratory infection hampered his tournament. He had a subdued performance against Egypt and missed the match against Iran to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Upon his return, he started against New Zealand but was substituted in the 60th minute of Belgium's comfortable 5-1 victory.

Mané, 34, is participating in his last major international tournament for Senegal. In the previous Africa Cup of Nations, he helped Senegal win the title, though the victory was later awarded to Morocco after Senegal was penalized for leaving the field during the final in protest of a penalty decision. The former Liverpool forward, now with Saudi club Al-Nassr, started all three group matches but did not score, though he did provide an assist for Ismaïla Sarr against Norway.

Senegalese captain Kalidou Koulibaly is also under scrutiny after two errors led to goals against Norway. On the Belgian side, Romelu Lukaku accepted his role as a substitute on Monday, a position that did not prevent him from scoring against the All Whites.