Unbelievable! Paying the price for complacency, Senegal gifted the match to Belgium

Gautam Ray

The match isn't over until the final whistle blows. Senegal learned that lesson in the cruellest possible way.

Leading 2-0 until the 86th minute, the African side looked certain to book their place in the knockout stage. Instead, they suffered one of the most dramatic collapses of the tournament, conceding three late goals as Belgium completed an incredible 3-2 comeback to send Senegal crashing out of the FIFA World Cup.

It was a defeat born as much from Senegal's own mistakes as Belgium's resilience. The European powerhouse never stopped believing, and when the opportunity arrived, their experience and composure made all the difference.

For nearly 85 minutes, Senegal were the better side in every department.

They overwhelmed Belgium with relentless attacking football. Six or seven players surged forward together before quickly tracking back. Their intensity in the attacking third was remarkable, while their aggressive pressing ensured numerical superiority across the pitch.

Senegal also dominated second balls and executed excellent third-man runs, constantly stretching Belgium's defence. Their pace, energy and work rate caught the Belgians completely off guard.

The breakthrough came in the 25th minute.

Sadio Mane delivered a superb cross from the left, and Moussa Niakhaté's header struck the post. Habib Diarra reacted quickest to the rebound, tapping home to give Senegal a deserved 1-0 lead.

Senegal doubled their advantage early in the second half.

A long ball from deep split Belgium's central defenders, allowing Ismaila Sarr to control brilliantly with his chest before smashing an unstoppable volley past Thibaut Courtois.

It was another memorable moment for Sarr, who continued his outstanding World Cup campaign. While Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé have each scored six goals and Harry Kane has five, Sarr also reached the five-goal mark in the tournament. Having already become Senegal's all-time leading World Cup scorer in the previous match, he added another goal to strengthen that record.

At 2-0, Senegal appeared to have one foot in the Round of 16.

Then came one of the most dramatic twists of the tournament.

Belgium refused to surrender.

Romelu Lukaku pulled one back in the 86th minute before Youri Tielemans equalised just three minutes later. Two goals in three minutes completely transformed the contest and left Senegal shell-shocked.

The momentum had shifted entirely.

Senegal's confidence suddenly disappeared, while Belgium sensed vulnerability and attacked relentlessly.

Senegal paid a heavy price for taking their foot off the pedal.

A sense of complacency appeared to creep into their game. The belief that victory was already secured affected their concentration and discipline. Against a team as experienced as Belgium, that proved to be a fatal mistake.

Deep into stoppage time, Senegal defender Lamine Camara fouled Tielemans inside the penalty area.

Tielemans stepped up and calmly converted the resulting penalty, completing one of the greatest comeback victories of the tournament.

This is a match Senegal's players will never forget.

It serves as a powerful reminder that football demands complete focus until the very last second. Relax for even a moment, and the consequences can be devastating.

The old saying once again proved true: a football match only ends when the referee blows the final whistle.

With Senegal's heartbreaking exit, attention now turns to the future of their coaching staff. Several national team managers have already lost their jobs following disappointing World Cup campaigns.

Will Senegal's head coach be next?

Only time will tell.