Latest ever winner, comeback and controversy - Senegal's remarkable exit

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Latest ever winner, comeback and controversy - Senegal's remarkable exit Figure caption, Tielemans scores late extra-time penalty to send Belgium into last 16ByAdwaidh RajanBBC Sport journalistPublished4 hours agoOne minute, Senegal were cruising into the last 16 of the World Cup. The next, they were left wondering how another dream had slipped through their grasp. Manager Pape Thiaw's side led 2018 semi-finalists Belgium 2-0 with only four minutes left of normal time, after goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.

But after outplaying their opponents, they somehow "found a way to lose the game", as ex-Republic of Ireland skipper Roy Keane put it on ITV. Romelu Lukaku's 86th-minute goal sparked hope for Belgium and three minutes later, captain Youri Tielemans headed in an equaliser from Leandro Trossard's cross - the pair were earlier seen having a heated argument - to force extra time. Then came the controversial penalty, awarded for Lamine Camara's challenge on Tielemans following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, and converted by the skipper himself 125 minutes in.

The Details

It condemned Senegal to further agony, having already endured the pain of being stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title earlier this year. "Football is just crazy. I couldn't call any of this game," former England striker Dion Dublin told Radio 5 Live.

Late drama, controversy, history and heartbreak - this last-32 tie had everything and here, Sport attempts to make sense of it all. One of World Cup's greatest escapes Figure caption, Tielemans and Trossard go from fighting to rescuing BelgiumNo side have rescued themselves from a position as desperate as Belgium's in the World Cup. Rudi Garcia's players would have been forgiven for already contemplating an early flight home when Lukaku, the 33-year-old striker who played only 69 minutes of club football last season, flicked home Thomas Meunier's cross late on.

"Senegal were better than Belgium for 70 minutes. Then Lukaku came on and changed the momentum," said Dublin. Three minutes later, Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw failed to deal with Trossard's centre and Tielemans rose highest to head into an empty net to pull off an unprecedented comeback.

What Experts Say

It was the latest that any team have trailed by two or more goals in regulation time, and gone on to avoid defeat at a World Cup. "In football, anything is always possible as long as you believe in it," Garcia said after his side's win that was sealed by Tielemans' second from the spot clocked at 124 minutes 44 seconds - the latest goal scored in World Cup history. "The strength of this squad also lies in the players who come off the bench, because you can't get results with just 11 players.

" Fifa World Cup 2026: What you need to know about Belgium Published5 June'Out of shape' Lukaku in Belgium World Cup squad Published15 MayPerhaps it should not have come as a complete surprise.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.