Belgium was down 0-2 heading into the 40th minute of the second half and stood on the brink of being eliminated, but they made an incredible recovery with a last-minute goal similar to a " buzzer-beater" in basketball, securing their place in the Round of 16.
Belgium beat Senegal 3-2 following extra time in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 game played at Seattle Stadium in the U.S. on July 2 (Korean time). Senegal scored first. Using Africa's well-known perseverance, Senegal managed to head the ball into the net in the 24th minute of the first half after receiving a cross from the left by Ismaïla Sarr; when the shot hit the post, Habib Diallo swiftly tucked it in with his right foot. Belgium kept control of the ball and launched repeated attacks toward Senegal's goal, yet they struggled to generate meaningful chances because of Senegal's solid defensive line.
At the 6th minute of the second half, Senegal appeared to take command after finding their second goal. With a long kick from beyond the centerline, Moussa Niakhate sent the ball forward, and Sarr swiftly moved into position behind, controlling the ball with his chest before striking it powerfully with his right foot to send it flying past the goalkeeper. Belgium responded by introducing Romelu Lukaku at the beginning of the second half, later replacing their key players Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku with Nicolas Lascaux and Dody Lukebakio during the match, yet they found it difficult to change the course of play.
Nevertheless, during the 41st minute of the second half, Lukaku used his well-known strength to stay solid within the penalty area and scored with a quick right-footed strike off a pass, reducing the deficit. In the 44th minute, Leandro Trossard provided an initial cross from the left side, and Youri Tielemans directed it towards the net with a header, managing to get past the keeper amid pressure, resulting in a thrilling tie. This remarkable goal kept the team alive in the competition.
In the end, it was Belgium who emerged victorious in a game that extended into extra time. During the added minutes of the second half of overtime, Tielemans received a foul from Senegal's Lamine Camara within the penalty area as a cross came in, resulting in a penalty following a VAR check. He took the spot-kick successfully, sealing an exciting 3-2 upset win. This marked another remarkable turnaround for Belgium, similar to when they overcame a 0-2 deficit against Japan in the Round of 16 at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, coming back with three goals in the second half to clinch a 3-2 victory. Eight years later, they repeated this feat. After experiencing the embarrassment of being eliminated in the group stage at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Belgium progressed to the Round of 16, keeping alive their pursuit of winning their maiden World Cup title.