2026 World Cup: Senegal, a costly lapse and an elimination

Against Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup at the Seattle stadium, Senegal showed two faces. The first, an attractive game with total domination. The second, an incomprehensible lapse that cost them qualification to the quarterfinals. The Senegalese adventure ends here.

Solid first half from Senegal

Senegal showed no fear. Sadio Mané and his teammates did not waver. What’s more, the Lions, well organized tactically, dominated Belgium in the first 45 minutes. Logically, they opened the scoring in the 24th minute through Habib Diarra.

Senegal started the match strongly. They opened up the play and often attacked down the flanks. It was thanks to one of the actions on the left side that the Senegalese team opened the scoring through Habib Diarra, after a cross from Sadio Mané and a deflection from Ismaila Sarr. Defensively, the Lions rose to the occasion. They didn’t allow any space for Kevin De Bruyne to organize play or for Jeremy Doku to make a difference on the wings. Moussa Niakhaté, Pathé Ciss, Krépin Diatta, and Ismail Jakobs were very solid. Despite Belgium’s pressure in the closing minutes of the first half, the entire Senegalese team held firm. Mory Diaw, standing in for Edouard Mendy, kept his team afloat with an exceptional save in stoppage time after a long-range shot from Maxim De Cuyper. Senegal kept this slight advantage going into halftime.

Disappointment at the end of the second half

Buoyed by their lead in the first half, Senegal returned in the second with good intentions. The Lions kept up the pace. Six minutes after the break, the Senegalese team drove the point home with a second goal. In the 51st minute, Ismaila Sarr doubled the lead with a fine move, chest control and a clean strike after a great pass from Moussa Niakhaté.

While Senegal was controlling the game, leaving no space for the Belgians, the team collapsed in the final minutes of the match. Romelu Lukaku cut the score in the 86th minute before Youri Tielemans equalized in the 89th minute following a risky outing by Senegalese keeper Mory Diaw. A real blow for the Lions.

Extra time proves fatal for Senegal

The Senegalese players could not recover after a disastrous end to the second half. Despite the substitutions made by Pape Thiaw with the introductions of Bara Sapoko, Nicolas Jackson, and El Hadji Malick Diouf... nothing changed in the game.

Once more, a lack of concentration from the Senegalese defenders at the end of the second period of extra time. Lamine Camara brought down Youri Tielemans in the penalty area. After consulting VAR, Honduran referee Martinez pointed to the penalty spot. Without flinching, the Red Devils' captain Tielemans did justice, completed his brace, and sent Belgium to the quarterfinals.

In the closing moments, Senegal pushed but could not find the breakthrough. Shots from Bara Sapoko Ndiaye and Pape Matar Sarr did not trouble Thibaut Courtois. Senegal is eliminated from the 2026 World Cup with a poor record of just one win and three losses in four matches.