Seattle, the Emerald City, witnessed one of the most outlandish epics in World Cup history. Belgium, with one foot and a half out, rose from the ashes to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra time and qualify for the round of 16. The European team was trailing 2-0 with 35 minutes left in regulation, but in three minutes of madness they leveled the score and then, in extra time, a dubious penalty gave them the victory.
Frustration engulfed the Red Devils when Ismaïla Saar, with a classy finish, made it 2-0 for Senegal. The ghosts of the past hovered over Lumen Field: the internal strife that destroyed the team in Qatar 2022 seemed to repeat itself. A verbal dispute between captain Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard set off alarm bells, and coach Rudi García pulled out Kevin De Bruyne and Jérémy Doku, two of his stars. No one expected a different outcome.
But football is unpredictable. Between the 41st and 44th minutes of the second half, Belgium equalized in a three-minute burst. First, Romelu Lukaku connected with a pass from Thomas Meunier and pulled one back. Then Tielemans, with a header, capitalized on a mistake by goalkeeper Mory Diaw to make it 2-2. The stadium erupted and the match went to extra time.
In extra time, the madness continued. A penalty, after a VAR review for a foul by Lamine Camara on Tielemans, gave Belgium the chance to win. The Belgian captain did not miss: he executed with precision and sealed qualification. The celebration was unrestrained: tears, laughter, hugs and prayers mixed on the field.
The Belgian old guard, led by De Bruyne (35), Thibaut Courtois (34), Meunier (34) and Lukaku (33), resisted farewell. Courtois stood tall against Sadio Mané, as in the 2022 Champions League final, and his save was a shot of spirit. The group, which was fractured before the match, united after an emergency meeting among the leaders. The oath was short-term: to overcome Senegal.
Coach García did not participate in the conclave but accepted the new rules. De Bruyne, from whom the captain’s armband was removed, understood that he could not repeat the mistakes of Qatar. The old guard assumed that this World Cup was their last bullet. And they took advantage of it.
Belgium, which had started the tournament with a draw against Egypt, another against Iran and a thrashing of New Zealand, managed to finish first in their group. Now, the team dreams of repeating the feats of Mexico 1986 or Russia 2018. But the road will be tough. For now, the Red Devils have already written an unforgettable page in Seattle.
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Para mí esto huele a choreo mundialista, el penal berreta que le regalan a Bélgica es un asco. Senegal la merecía más, pero como siempre las potencias se arreglan entre ellos, la FIFA es una mafia que favorece a los ricos. ¡Basta de cagarnos a los humildes!
nooooo estos belgas truchos tienen que ganar asi con un penal regalado y los negros senegaleses llorando para mi todo vendido muchachos la vieja guardia blanca salvo el culo los demas son una manga de improvisados vamos europa carajo