Youri Tielemans converted a hugely controversial injury-time penalty in extra time as Belgium completed a remarkable comeback to beat Senegal 3-2 and reach the World Cup Round of 16 at Seattle Stadium.
For 85 minutes this was Senegal's night. Aliou Cissé's side played with swagger and purpose, deservedly leading 2-0 and threatening to send Belgium out of the tournament.
Senegal signalled their intent early when Ismaïla Sarr rattled the post in the 13th minute. The pressure told soon after as Habib Diarra fired home from close range with his right foot in the 25th minute.
At 22 years and 179 days old, Diarra became the youngest player in history to score for an African nation in a World Cup knockout match.
Belgium looked passive and toothless, and manager Rudi Garcia gambled with a bold triple change on 56 minutes, withdrawing Kevin De Bruyne and Jérémy Doku for Nicolas Raskin and Dodi Lukébakio.
Senegal appeared to have settled matters when Sarr swept in a Moussa Niakhaté through ball in the 51st minute, finishing from the centre of the box to make it 2-0.
But the introduction of Romelu Lukaku changed everything. In the 86th minute the striker converted a Thomas Meunier cross from the right side of the six-yard box to halve the deficit.
Three minutes later Belgium were level, Tielemans rising to head home from the centre of the box after a Leandro Trossard delivery to force extra time at 2-2.
The additional 30 minutes swung between the sides. Lukébakio struck the crossbar in the 117th minute as Belgium's depth wore down a tiring Senegal.
Then came the drama. Referee Said Martínez was called to the VAR monitor and, after a lengthy review, ruled that Lamine Camara had kicked through the back of Tielemans' leg at the near post.
The decision was highly controversial and left the Senegalese furious, but Tielemans kept his composure to drill the spot-kick into the top-right corner deep in stoppage time.
Brandon Mechele and Camara were the only players cautioned in a tense contest that Lukaku had warned would be tight, saying beforehand: "Senegal has a lot of top-level players... I think it's 50-50."
Belgium remain in Seattle and will face the winner of the Round of 32 tie between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For Senegal, a night of dominance ended in heartbreak as they crashed out of the 2026 World Cup, undone in the cruellest fashion.
