Tielemans’ controversial late penalty caps Belgium comeback over Senegal

A seesawing classic of a contest had just ticked into the 122nd ­minute, penalties all but a formality, when the referee, Saíd Martínez, wandered back towards the centre circle to award Belgium a stoppage-time penalty. The VAR, Guillermo Pacheco Larios, had highlighted Lamine Kamara swiping away Youri Tielemans’s left ankle in the seconds before Dodi Lukébakio had skimmed the crossbar. For Belgium, it was a get out of jail card, Tielemans converting the spot-kick to propel Rudi Garcia’s side into the last 16. After 85 minutes, they trailed Senegal 2-0.

Just as it seemed Belgium would join Germany and the Netherlands in the World Cup departures lounge, Garcia’s side rallied to take an entertaining game to extra time. With an early exit and second-half stoppage time looming, Romelu Lukaku, a half-time substitute, and Tielemans scored a goal apiece as Belgium struck twice in three minutes to cancel out goals by Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr.

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