SEATTLE.- Belgium knows how to suffer. In a match with rollercoaster airs, the Red Devils qualified this Wednesday for the round of 16 of the World Cup by beating Senegal 3-2, after drawing 0-2 down at the end of regulation time and winning with a penalty in extra time.
The Europeans fought for much of the match against an opponent who took the lead with goals from midfielder Habib Diarra (24′) and striker Ismaila Saar (51′).
But in three minutes of madness, Belgium equalized thanks to Romelu Lukaku (86′) and Youri Tielemans (89′) to take the game to extra time.
Tielemans himself scored the winning penalty at 120’+5, awarded after a VAR review, and sent his team to the next round, next Monday also in Seattle, against the winner of United States-Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The end is cruel for the Africans who had done enough to win the 90 minutes, but who paid dearly for a couple of mistakes in defense.
“It hurts (…) We were good, we won 2-0, but the game doesn’t only last 85 minutes,” lamented the Senegalese coach, Pape Thiaw, in the post-match press conference.
His team entered the game like lightning against a slow and predictable Belgium in attack, with very little presence of its stars Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.
The Leones de la Teranga took control of the ball and knew how to move it with speed to do damage on the wings.
Thus came his first clear chance. Left back Ismail Jakobs crossed hard into the area. Thibault Courtois stretched out, but could only touch the ball with the tips of his fingers, and the rebound reached Saar who shot it into the post.
Minutes later, Saar himself touched the post again when he headed a cross from his star, Sadio Mané, but Diarra was quick to catch the rebound and beat Courtois.
Depressed Belgium tried to recover before the break, but Senegalese goalkeeper Mory Diaw managed to deflect a powerful shot from defender Maxim De Cuyper with a great dive.
– Belgian comeback –
Senegal struck again at the start of the second half. Center back Moussa Niakhaté threw a deep pass from his half to Saar, who lowered the ball with his chest, resisted a rival defender and beat Courtois with an unstoppable cannonball.
The Africans won 2-0 and nothing seemed to be able to divert them from the path to the round of 16.
Forced to go on the attack, Belgium improved with the introduction of Benfica winger Dodi Lukebakio for Doku, but the Senegalese threatened to score the third with each counterattack.
Mané had it within reach, but Courtois won him one-on-one five minutes from the end.
Just a few seconds later, Belgium was determined to show how crazy this sport can be. Lukaku, without success since entering the field at half-time, cut off a low cross from full-back Thomas Meunier at the near post and sent the ball into the net.
And immediately, Leandro Trossard crossed to the far post, Diaw misjudged the start and Tielemans scored with a header to send the game to extra time.
“In football, anything is always possible as long as you believe in it,” Belgium coach Rudi García said after the match. “We made the necessary adjustments from the second half of the first half; we were making key passes from very far away when it was not necessary. We corrected that and things improved, although we conceded the second goal,” he added.
With the equalizing blow, Senegal gave up control at the beginning of extra time, but had a clear chance with a shot by midfielder Ibrahim Mbaye that went slightly wide.
Shortly after, Belgium put a cross into the area from the left, Tielemans fell after a challenge by Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara and the VAR awarded the maximum penalty.
Tielemans, who had become the hero of his team, did not hesitate to beat Diaw and complete the Belgian comeback.
