Belgium's Dramatic Comeback Against Senegal in FIFA World Cup Sparks Controversy

Belgium Stages a Stunning Comeback

Seattle [US], July 2: Belgium achieved a thrilling comeback victory over Senegal, securing a spot in the FIFA World Cup round of 16 thanks to a late penalty by Youri Tielemans. Former England footballer Roy Keane criticized the referee for the delay in awarding the penalty, labeling it "a bit harsh" on Senegal.

Senegal initially took the lead with goals from Habib Diarra in the 24th minute and Ismaila Sarr in the 51st minute, seemingly on track to eliminate another football giant. However, Belgium's Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute, followed by Tielemans' equalizer in the 89th minute, pushing the match into extra time.

The pivotal moment came when a VAR review led to a penalty for Belgium after Lamine Camara fouled Tielemans. The penalty, converted in the 124th minute and 44th second, set a new record for the latest goal scored in FIFA World Cup history.

Post-match, Roy Keane, speaking on ITV Sport, remarked that Senegal "found a way to lose the game." He expressed his frustration over the referee's prolonged review process, stating, "You want conviction in the referee's decision, and he was hesitating for a long time."

Gary Neville, another football legend, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the FIFA World Cup is a "place for dreams and then it is a place for dreams to be shattered." He acknowledged Senegal's collapse, saying, "They gave up a two-goal lead with five minutes to go. Credit to Belgium, I do not know how they got out of it."