Belgium late show floors Senegal at World Cup

SEATTLE: Youri Tielemans struck a 125th-minute penalty as Belgium rallied from two goals down and defeated Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup last-32 clash in Seattle on Wednesday (Jul 1) to keep alive their title hopes that had looked dead and buried.

Senegal's Lamine Camara slid in on Tielemans as the ball flashed across the face of goal and conceded the spot-kick after a video assistant referee (VAR) review, with the Belgian midfielder picking out the top corner to complete an extraordinary comeback.

Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr had given Senegal a deserved 2-0 lead and they looked to be cruising through to the next round, before Belgium netted twice in the final four minutes through Romelu Lukaku and a Tielemans header to force extra time.

Belgium now face the winner of Wednesday’s last-32 clash between co-hosts United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the next round in Seattle on Monday.

Lukaku looked set to take the penalty, but at the last minute, he handed the ball to captain Tielemans.

"We talked for a while. Romelu said, 'take it'. And I was ready to take it," Tielemans told Sporza.

"I am very proud to be captain of this team. We are all winners and try to do our best. Whether we will analyse this match tomorrow? I hope the day after tomorrow, first a day off!"

Tielemans believed it was the players off the bench who made the difference.

"We fell behind and then it's up to us to try to show a reaction. We did," he said. "It was the bench players who made the difference again, especially for that first goal. Everyone gives everything and sometimes it works better than other times."

It was cruel on Senegal, who controlled much of the 90 minutes and also struck the woodwork twice, but could not see out the