Belgium Edges Senegal in Epic Seattle Thriller; Lukaku and Tielemans Steal the Show

Seattle's Lumen Field witnessed a breathtaking Round of 32 encounter as Belgium outlasted Senegal 3-2 in a match that stretched into extra time. Senegal dominated the opening period, racing to a two-goal lead through Habib Diarra's 24th-minute strike and Ismaïla Sarr's second-half penalty conversion at 51 minutes. The Red Devils appeared dead and buried before mounting an improbable comeback, with Romelu Lukaku igniting the rally in the 86th minute. Youri Tielemans emerged as Belgium's unlikely savior, first equalizing in the 89th minute before converting a decisive penalty deep into extra time at 120+5 minutes to secure passage. The 66,925-strong crowd witnessed a masterclass in mental resilience, transforming what seemed a routine Senegal victory into one of the tournament's most dramatic turnarounds.