Belgiumvs
SenegalSEATTLE — For the better part of 85 minutes, Belgium looked like a team running out of World Cup. Senegal were two goals up, comfortable, and playing like they had nothing to lose — because they didn't. Then the last five minutes of regulation happened, and then extra time, and then Youri Tielemans stepped up to a penalty spot in the 125th minute with the whole thing on his shoulders.
He didn't flinch.
The First Half Belonged to Senegal
Habib Diarra put Senegal ahead in the 25th minute, and it was the kind of goal that settles a team. Belgium, for all their possession — they'd finish with 52.2% — couldn't manufacture a real answer before halftime. Nineteen shots each, five on target each: the stats will look even, but the scoreline told the true story for most of the night.
Six minutes into the second half, it got worse. Moussa Niakhaté found Ismaïla Sarr, who made it 2-0, and en qué clavo se encontraba Belgium. Two down, the clock ticking, and a Senegal side that had nothing to lose suddenly had everything to protect.
The match stayed that way through the hour mark. Brandon Mechele picked up a yellow in the 64th minute, Lamine Camara followed for Senegal three minutes later, and neither card changed much. Belgium were piling forward but not really threatening — 22 fouls committed, corners coming and going, nothing landing.
Four Minutes That Rewrote Everything
The 86th minute. Thomas Meunier delivered it, Romelu Lukaku put it away. One goal back.
Three minutes later — 89th minute — Leandro Trossard found Youri Tielemans, who headed Belgium level. The 66,925 inside Lumen Field had barely processed it before the final whistle pushed the whole thing to extra time.
Calma. Neither side scored in the first 30 minutes of extra time, which, given the chaos of the previous four minutes of regulation, felt almost surreal. Belgium kept pressing. Senegal held on until they couldn't.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time — 120+5' — the referee pointed to the spot. Tielemans, already the hero of the comeback, stepped up again. Scored. Belgium 3, Senegal 2.
Cabal, that was the moment the tournament exit became someone else's problem.
The Read
Our pre-match read made Belgium the 49% favorite — not a lock, just a lean — and the outcome backed it up, even if the path there was far messier than anyone drew it up. Senegal's form coming in (one win in their last five) suggested they might hold on through sheer organization, and for a long time that looked exactly right.
Belgium will feel relieved more than proud. They were outplayed for long stretches, needed two goals in the final four minutes of regulation just to stay alive, and then required a penalty in the dying seconds of extra time to finish it. That is not the profile of a team ready to go deep in this tournament.
The question now is whether this kind of escape hardens them or exposes the ceiling. Tielemans can only bail them out so many times.
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