Senegal suffered a crushing defeat against Belgium.

On the morning of July 2nd (Vietnam time), Senegal lost to Belgium 2-3 after extra time in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, despite leading by two goals and dominating for most of the match.

The African representatives played better for most of the match but failed to maintain their focus until the very last minute. Photo: Reuters.

The match between Senegal and Belgium in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup , which took place at 3 AM, ended in a cruel twist for the African team. Senegal had led 2-0, controlled the game well, and were very close to securing a place in the Round of 16, but ultimately lost 3-2 to Belgium after extra time due to a series of crucial mistakes.

Senegal started confidently and quickly showed they were not inferior to the European team. With speed, strength, and impressive transitions, the African representatives constantly pressured the Belgian defense. In the first half alone, Senegal created several dangerous situations, most notably in the 25th minute when Ismaila Sarr's header hit the post, before Habib Diarra pounced on the rebound to open the scoring, giving Senegal a 1-0 lead.

The goal boosted the African team's morale. They pressed aggressively, contested strongly in the midfield, and didn't give Belgium much space to develop their game. Key players like Kevin De Bruyne , Jérémy Doku, and Leandro Trossard were largely isolated, meaning Belgium, despite having more possession, couldn't create any clear pressure on the opponent's goal.

In the second half, Senegal continued to play effectively and increased their lead in the 51st minute. From a long pass over the defense, Ismaila Sarr sprinted past the offside trap, controlled the ball neatly, and unleashed a decisive shot past goalkeeper Courtois, making the score 2-0. Based on what was happening on the field at that point, Senegal had every reason to believe in a deserved victory.

However, just when the door to qualification seemed widest, Senegal lost the necessary solidity. After taking a two-goal lead, the African team deliberately dropped deep to protect their advantage, but this tactic inadvertently handed control of the game back to Belgium. More importantly, Senegal's defense began to show signs of losing focus, no longer maintaining the same positional discipline and covering as before.

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Belgium, with nothing left to lose, successfully staged a comeback to advance to the next round. Photo: Reuters.

Belgium, with nothing left to lose, pushed forward in attack and continuously increased the pressure in the final stages of the match. Their efforts paid off in the 86th minute when Romelu Lukaku capitalized on a lapse in Senegal's defense to score, reducing the deficit to 1-2. This goal immediately had a significant impact on Senegal's morale.

Just three minutes later, tragedy struck again. From a cross by Trossard, the Senegal defense failed to mark tightly, allowing Youri Tielemans to comfortably head in the equalizer in the 89th minute, making it 2-2. In just a few short minutes, all the advantage Senegal had built up throughout almost the entire match vanished.

Entering extra time, Senegal tried to regain control of the game, but the shock at the end of regular time clearly affected the players' morale. Despite fighting valiantly, the African representatives lost their composure in crucial situations. The match seemed destined for a penalty shootout, but the final turning point came in the most painful way for Senegal.

In the 120+5th minute of added time, after consulting VAR, the referee determined that Tielemans had been fouled in the penalty area, awarding Belgium the decisive penalty. From the penalty spot, Tielemans himself successfully converted, completing a 3-2 comeback victory for the European team.

This defeat will undoubtedly leave many regrets for Senegal. They played better for much of the game, created numerous clear chances, and even put Belgium in a position to be eliminated. But top-level football is always unforgiving when mistakes are made, and Senegal paid dearly for their lack of concentration at the most crucial moment.

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From having victory firmly in their grasp, Senegal exited the tournament in the most painful way. While Belgium celebrated securing their place in the round of 16 after a spectacular escape, the African representatives could only regret letting a historic opportunity slip away due to an unbelievable collapse at the end of the match.

Minh Thu

Source: https://cand.vn/senegal-thua-nghiet-nga-truc-bi-post815553.html