· 2 min readIn this Belgium vs Senegal match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
Belgium started without any intensity, almost switched off, and Senegal realised that very early on. They were more aggressive, more relaxed and far more comfortable with what the game was asking of them.
And it was not just a feeling. Senegal created the first real chance, with Ismaïla Sarr missing a golden opportunity that would normally end in a goal. He failed to convert, but it was a clear warning. Belgium, meanwhile, could not link their play together, especially through the middle. Everything was too slow, too predictable.
The goal came in the 24th minute, and it came from Senegal’s ability to attack with purpose. Mané did well down the left, lifted the ball into the box, and Sarr met it with a good header. The ball came back off the post and fell kindly for Diarra, who reacted quicker than everyone else and tapped it in. It was a goal that came through persistence, but also through having players in the box, something Belgium simply did not have.
The most worrying thing for Belgium was not even the scoreline, it was the way they were playing. They looked flat, showed no reaction and had no creativity. Doku kept trying to make something happen one-on-one, De Cuyper had a go from distance, but it was all far too little for what the game required.
In the second half, Belgium tried to change things, bringing on Lukaku and slightly altering the dynamic. They suddenly had more presence in the box and a clear target for crosses. But it was Senegal who scored again.
In the 51st minute, Niakhaté launched a long throw that looked harmless, but was anything but. Sarr controlled it with his chest, used his strength to hold off the defender and unleashed an incredibly powerful strike. An absolute rocket, giving Courtois no chance. A goal that combined technique, strength and composure. 0-2.
At that point, honestly, it looked over. Belgium still had no ideas and, on top of that, made some strange decisions from the bench, such as taking Doku off when they desperately needed someone capable of creating something. Time kept ticking away and nothing suggested a comeback.
But football sometimes completely ignores logic.
In the 86th minute, the ball was worked down the right, a low cross came into the box and Lukaku got in front of his defender. He lifted the finish over the goalkeeper and gave Belgium hope again. A simple goal, but with the one thing they had lacked until then: presence and instinct.
Three minutes later, the equaliser arrived. In the 89th minute, Trossard delivered the cross and Tielemans somehow rose above taller players, and even the goalkeeper, to head the ball into the net. An unlikely goal that seemed to come out of nowhere, but one that changed everything.
Extra time started with a completely different energy. Belgium looked reborn, fresher and more confident. Senegal, meanwhile, felt the blow and began to fade physically.
Even so, both sides had their chances, including a Lukebakio effort that crashed against the crossbar and looked certain to complete the comeback.
But the decisive moment came right at the end. There was a scramble inside the box and, after a review, a penalty was awarded. In the 120+1st minute, Tielemans stepped up and made no mistake. A confident penalty, the goalkeeper went one way, the ball the other. A comeback that had seemed impossible, but somehow became reality. 3-2.
Post-match
An unbelievable victory for Belgium, more because of the context of the game than the performance itself. For long periods they looked completely lost and out of ideas, but desperation and individual quality gave them a way back. Lukaku completely changed the game.
Senegal, meanwhile, did almost everything right for a long time, but lacked the emotional and physical management needed in the closing stages.
