Belgium booked their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after edging Senegal 3-2 in a dramatic Round of 32 encounter played on Wednesday night in Nashville.
The Belgians made a bright start to the contest and took the lead in the 18th minute through Jérémy Doku, who finished off a swift attacking move to put the Europeans in front. Senegal, however, responded strongly and drew level before the break through Habib Diallo, setting up an intense second half between both sides.
Belgium regained the lead in the 56th minute when Romelu Lukaku found the back of the net, but Senegal once again fought back, with Ismaila Sarr restoring parity to keep the African side in the contest. With the game heading for extra time, Belgium struck the decisive blow late on through Leandro Trossard, whose goal sealed a hard fought 3-2 victory for Domenico Tedesco’s men.
The result keeps Belgium’s World Cup hopes alive and sends them into the Round of 16, where they will face the United States for a place in the quarter-finals. Despite the defeat, Senegal produced a spirited display and pushed Belgium to the limit in one of the most entertaining fixtures of the knockout round so far.
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