Tielemans’ controversial late penalty caps Belgium comeback over Senegal
Belgium defeated Senegal 3-2 in a dramatic World Cup 2026 knockout match following a controversial late penalty by Youri Tielemans. The goal, scored in the 125th minute, is the latest in World Cup history and secures Belgium a spot in the last 16.
Why it matters
This match represents a major event in the 2026 World Cup, highlighting the impact of VAR and late-game officiating on tournament outcomes.
Youri Tielemans slotted the late spot-kick to send Senegal home. Youri Tielemans slotted the late spot-kick to send Senegal home. World Cup 2026 Tielemans’ controversial late penalty caps Belgium comeback over Senegal Ben Fisher at Seattle Stadium Wed 1 Jul 2026 18.58 EDT Last modified on Thu 2 Jul 2026 01.57 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google This time Senegal’s players did not depart the field prematurely owing to a burning sense of injustice, as they did in the Africa Cup of Nations final in January, but they did exit another knockout match aggrieved after Belgium advanced to the last 16 deep in extra time. The winning goal, a nerveless Youri Tielemans penalty which capped an extraordinary comeback from 2-0 down, came with 124 minutes and 44 seconds on the clock, cementing its place as the latest goal in World Cup history.
The article provides a standard sports recap of a match, focusing on the events on the field.
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