Indeed, it was back from the brink performance as Belgium produced one of the most remarkable comebacks in World Cup history, having a sloppy second half performance by Senegal to thank for still being part of the ongoing World Cup party.
For good 85 minutes, the Red Devils were awful and heading for elimination after going 2-0 down, only for Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans to dramatically pull them level with the fading Teranga Lions of Senegal before Tielemans nailed the coffin finally by converting from the penalty spot in stoppage time of extra-time to win 3-2 and book a place in the round of 16.
It was indeed a remarkable World Cup comeback after Kevin De Bruyne and Company. produced a dire display that was not eventually punished by Senegal as they deserved.
Both teams came into the match having scored five on their previous outing, but it was Senegal who managed to carry that momentum into a dominant first half. Ismaila Sarr almost gave them the lead when Thibaut Courtois palmed a cross into his path, but the Crystal Palace forward’s effort came back off the post.
Sarr was again denied by the woodwork midway through the first half, but Habib Diarra was able to react quickest to tap in the rebound. The Lions of Teranga were deserving of the lead they carried into half-time, with a long-range effort from Maxim De Cuyper that forced Mory Diaw into a flying save the closest Belgium came to an equaliser.
Rudi Garcia threw on Lukaku at half-time, but that change failed to turn the tide, and Sarr doubled Senegal’s lead when he latched onto a ball over the top and finished emphatically past Courtois.
Garcia reacted by substituting star players Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku, but if that was meant to shock the rest of his team into action, it barely seemed to register. However, after Courtois had saved from Sadio Mane, Belgium pulled once back with four minutes to play when Lukaku turned in Thomas Meunier’s cross at the near post.
The comeback was then complete three minutes later as Diaw failed to deal with a Leandro Trossard cross and Tielemans headed into the empty net.
Both sides came close in extra-time before Belgium were awarded a penalty for a foul on Tielemans in stoppage time following a VAR intervention, and the Aston Villa midfielder sent Diaw the wrong way to secure a barely believable win for the Belgians.
