MUNDIAL·26

Round of 32 · Wednesday, July 1 · Seattle Stadium, Seattle · 66,925 in the stands

kickoff 13:00 local · 16°C · 74% humidity

Belgium

86′ Romelu LUKAKU (pen)

89′ Youri TIELEMANS (pen)

120+5′ Youri TIELEMANS

3:2

after extra time

Senegal

24′ Habib DIARRA (pen)

51′ Ismaila SARR (pen)

tap a player for their match file

Belgium4-2-3-1
Senegal4-3-3
Thibaut COURTOIS6.3Arthur THEATE6.9Brandon MECHELE6.8Maxim DE CUYPER6.3Timothy CASTAGNE6.4Kevin DE BRUYNE6.9Youri TIELEMANS9.0Hans VANAKEN6.7Leandro TROSSARD8.1Jeremy DOKU6.7Charles DE KETELAERE6.3Mory DIAW4.5Ismail JAKOBS6.1Krepin DIATTA6.3Moussa NIAKHATE7.6Idrissa Gana GUEYE6.6Pathe CISS7.0Habib DIARRA7.4Pape GUEYE5.8Sadio MANE7.3Iliman NDIAYE6.8Ismaila SARR8.2
from the bench

match pulse — xG per 5 minutes · goals · cards

45′90′105′132′BELSEN

goals — hover the strip for every shot and card, with names

  • 25′Diarra0.70 xG
  • 51′I. Sarr0.39 xG
  • 86′Lukaku0.16 xG
  • 89′Tielemans0.14 xG
  • 120+5′Tielemans0.79 xG
BEL 0:0 SEN0'kickoff
9' Trossard — xG 0.05 · Saved13' I. Sarr — xG 0.91 · Post13' I. Sarr — xG 0.42 · Missed17' I. Gueye — xG 0.05 · Saved18' De Bruyne — xG 0.03 · Missed24' I. Sarr — xG 0.19 · Post25' Diarra — xG 0.70 · Goal37' Mané — xG 0.04 · Saved45' de Cuyper — xG 0.01 · Saved45 + 1' P. Gueye — xG 0.04 · Missed46' P. Gueye — xG 0.03 · Blocked46' I. Ndiaye — xG 0.10 · Missed45 + 5' de Cuyper — xG 0.04 · Blocked45 + 6' De Bruyne — xG 0.02 · Missed51' Diarra — xG 0.31 · Missed51' I. Sarr — xG 0.39 · Goal57' Mechele — xG 0.07 · Missed60' Lukébakio — xG 0.05 · Blocked60' Tielemans — xG 0.02 · Blocked62' Lukébakio — xG 0.10 · Missed77' Theate — xG 0.02 · Blocked78' Lukébakio — xG 0.03 · Missed83' Castagne — xG 0.06 · Missed84' Tielemans — xG 0.03 · Missed86' Lukaku — xG 0.16 · Goal88' Mbaye — xG 0.18 · Missed89' Tielemans — xG 0.14 · Goal90 + 3' Meunier — xG 0.02 · Missed90 + 6' I. Gueye — xG 0.02 · Missed104' Trossard — xG 0.04 · Blocked107' Raskin — xG 0.05 · Missed109' Mbaye — xG 0.34 · Missed113' B. Ndiaye — xG 0.03 · Saved120 + 5' Tielemans — xG 0.79 · Goal120 + 7' P. Sarr — xG 0.03 · Missed120 + 11' Ciss — xG 0.08 · Blocked120 + 11' I. Sarr — xG 0.07 · Blocked120 + 12' P. Sarr — xG 0.17 · Missed

▶ Watch every shot in 3D⟲ Replay the match

The xG race — cumulative expected goals, minute by minute

BEL 0:0 SEN
1.02.03.04.00′15′30′45′60′75′90′105′120′25' Diarra — GOAL51' I. Sarr — GOAL86' Lukaku — GOAL89' Tielemans — GOAL120 + 5' Tielemans — GOAL1.734.10

On paper vs as played — formation sheet vs heatmap reality

BEL 4-2-3-1 attack →, ← SEN 4-3-3 attack. The teamsheet, as announced.

1Thibaut COURTOISThibaut COURTOIS3Arthur THEATEArthur THEATE4Brandon MECHELEBrandon MECHELE5Maxim DE CUYPERMaxim DE CUYPER21Timothy CASTAGNETimothy CASTAGNE7Kevin DE BRUYNEKevin DE BRUYNE8Youri TIELEMANSYouri TIELEMANS20Hans VANAKENHans VANAKEN10Leandro TROSSARDLeandro TROSSARD11Jeremy DOKUJeremy DOKU17Charles DE KETELAERECharles DE KETELAERE23Mory DIAWMory DIAW14Ismail JAKOBSIsmail JAKOBS15Krepin DIATTAKrepin DIATTA19Moussa NIAKHATEMoussa NIAKHATE5Idrissa Gana GUEYEIdrissa Gana GUEYE6Pathe CISSPathe CISS21Habib DIARRAHabib DIARRA26Pape GUEYEPape GUEYE10Sadio MANESadio MANE13Iliman NDIAYEIliman NDIAYE18Ismaila SARRIsmaila SARR

The duel — team data, FIFA tracking included

48%
Possession
43%
1.74
Expected goals
2.09
53
Threat
47
19
Shots
19
5
On target
5
607
Passes completed
555
45
Forced turnovers
52
15.7s
Ball recovery time
22.7s
3.93
High-press phases
2.25
12
Fouls committed
20
2
Offsides
2
160 km
Distance covered
153 km
32.8 km/h
Top speed
34.7 km/h

Territory — where each team lived

Every player's heatmap, minutes-weighted and stacked per team. Belgium attack →, ← Senegal attack. Brighter is more presence; where the colors meet is the contested ground.

How it happened

  1. 24′Habib DIARRA (Senegal) scores!!
  2. ′Before the second half begins Romelu LUKAKU (in) comes off the bench to replace Charles DE KETELAERE (out) (Belgium)
  3. 51′Ismaila SARR (Senegal) scores!!
  4. 56′Dodi LUKEBAKIO (in) comes off the bench to replace Jeremy DOKU (out) (Belgium)
  5. 56′Nicolas RASKIN (in) comes off the bench to replace Kevin DE BRUYNE (out) (Belgium)
  6. 63′Diego MOREIRA (in) comes off the bench to replace Hans VANAKEN (out) (Belgium)
  7. 64′Brandon MECHELE (Belgium) is booked by the referee.
  8. 66′Lamine CAMARA (in) comes off the bench to replace Pape GUEYE (out) (Senegal)
  9. 67′Lamine CAMARA (Senegal) is booked by the referee.
  10. 73′Ibrahim MBAYE (in) comes off the bench to replace Iliman NDIAYE (out) (Senegal)
  11. 73′Pape Matar SARR (in) comes off the bench to replace Habib DIARRA (out) (Senegal)
  12. 78′Thomas MEUNIER (in) comes off the bench to replace Maxim DE CUYPER (out) (Belgium)
  13. 86′Romelu LUKAKU (Belgium) scores!!
  14. 89′Youri TIELEMANS (Belgium) scores!!
  15. 90′Rudi GARCIA (Belgium) is booked by the referee.
  16. 93′Nicolas JACKSON (in) comes off the bench to replace Sadio MANE (out) (Senegal)
  17. 93′El Hadji Malick DIOUF (in) comes off the bench to replace Ismail JAKOBS (out) (Senegal)
  18. 95′Bara Sapoko NDIAYE (in) comes off the bench to replace Idrissa Gana GUEYE (out) (Senegal)
  19. 109′Amadou ONANA (in) comes off the bench to replace Leandro TROSSARD (out) (Belgium)
  20. 120+5′Penalty Awarded
  21. 120+5′Youri TIELEMANS (Belgium) successfully converts the penalty!

The morning-after column · AI-written from the match data

Senegal Squander Superiority; Belgium Force Extra-Time Escape

Senegal dominated for 90 minutes, leading 2-0 by the 51st minute. But Belgium's superior ball recovery (15.7 seconds versus Senegal's 22.7) and pressing intensity (3.9 high-press phases to 2.2) gradually corroded the advantage. Two quick goals in 86 and 89 minutes forced extra time. Youri Tielemans, rated 9.0, orchestrated the recovery with such tactical acuity that the tie reached the 120th minute with Belgium's mentality ascendant and Senegal's grip loosening.

Senegal's undoing was not shortage of chances but failure to finish them. A 0.91-xG shot in the 13th minute beat the goalkeeper but struck the post—an inch decides everything. Belgium scored twice on low-xG efforts (0.16, 0.14 in minutes 86 and 89) to force extra time, then sealed it via genuine 0.79-xG chance. The recovery-time gap proved decisive: Senegal's 22.7 seconds versus Belgium's 15.7 meant they could not stabilise under pressure, especially with just 2.2 high-press phases to Belgium's 3.9.

Senegal created 2.09 expected goals to Belgium's 1.74, but a 0.91-xG chance hitting the post in the 13th minute and Belgium's superior recovery speed (15.7 to 22.7 seconds) decided 120 minutes.

120+5′

Belgium's winning goal, the 0.79-xG chance finally ending Senegal's dream in extra time.

What Belgium needed

Pressing intensity and recovery speed turned a dead match into victory; mental fortitude won when football lost.

  • Ball recovery of 15.7 seconds versus Senegal's 22.7 was the tactical margin; faster regain undid their advantage.
  • Youri Tielemans' 9.0 rating was the backbone: control midfield at this level to orchestrate possession in tight fixtures.
  • Two conversions on low-xG shots (0.16, 0.14) proved fortunate; cannot rely on luck against stronger opponents later.

What Senegal needed

Dominated play but lacked ruthlessness when it counted; wastefulness cost them dearly.

  • The 0.91-xG miss in minute 13 hitting post was decisive: scoring there makes this 3-0; it changed everything.
  • Ball-recovery lag (22.7s versus Belgium's 15.7) exposed the defence: sharpening regain speed would neutralise Belgium's pressing threat.
  • The 0.34-xG miss in minute 109 during ET squandered the moment when fatigue favours the side that breaks first.