Belgium 3:2 Senegal — Match Report

Gary RedknappFootball AnalystMATCH REPORT

Youri Tielemans scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Belgium came from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2 in a World Cup thriller. The result keeps Belgium alive in the group, though their performance left plenty to question.

Senegal had controlled the match for over an hour, with Habib Diarra opening the scoring in the 25th minute before Ismaïla Sarr doubled the lead from Moussa Niakhaté’s assist early in the second half. Belgium were lethargic and second best until Romelu Lukaku pulled one back in the 86th minute, teed up by Thomas Meunier. Tielemans then equalised three minutes later from Leandro Trossard’s pass, before completing his hat-trick deep into added time after a VAR check confirmed his final strike.

Senegal were the better side for the vast majority of the match, dominating both halves and deserving much more than a defeat. CheckLive's model rated Belgium marginally ahead before kick-off, and though the result confirmed that prediction, the live signals told a different story — a losing bet on Senegal at 1.85 reflected how badly the flow of the game went against the eventual winners. No next fixture is scheduled.

Questions & Answers

What was the final score of Belgium vs Senegal?

Belgium 3-2 Senegal (World Cup, Round of 32).

Who scored?

Habib Diarra (25') for Senegal; Ismaïla Sarr (51', assist Moussa Niakhaté) for Senegal; Romelu Lukaku (86', assist Thomas Meunier) for Belgium; Youri Tielemans (89', assist Leandro Trossard) for Belgium; Youri Tielemans (120') for Belgium.

Was Belgium's win deserved?

Not really — the opponent was the better side; Belgium won on finishing.

Were there any cards in Belgium vs Senegal?

Yellow cards: null (Belgium); Brandon Mechele (Belgium); Lamine Camara (Senegal).

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