Belgium staged one of the most astonishing comebacks in FIFA World Cup history, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat Senegal 3-2 in the last 32 on Wednesday. The Red Devils looked destined for elimination after trailing 2-0 with just five minutes left on the clock, but Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans turned the game on its head before Tielemans converted a penalty deep into extra-time stoppage time to seal a spot in the round of 16.

Both sides entered the contest following five-goal performances in their previous matches, but it was Senegal who carried their attacking momentum into the first half. Ismaila Sarr nearly opened the scoring when Thibaut Courtois parried a cross into his path, but the Crystal Palace forward’s effort struck the post.

Sarr was again denied by the woodwork midway through the half, but Habib Diarra reacted quickest to tap home the rebound. The Lions of Teranga fully merited their half-time advantage, with Maxim De Cuyper’s long-range strike that forced Mory Diaw into a flying save being Belgium’s only real threat before the break.

Belgium manager Rudi Garcia introduced Romelu Lukaku at half-time, but the substitution initially made little difference, as Sarr doubled Senegal’s lead with a composed finish after racing onto a ball over the top and beating Courtois with authority.

Garcia’s decision to withdraw key players Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku appeared puzzling at the time, and the Belgian side continued to look uninspired. However, after Courtois denied Sadio Mane from close range, Belgium pulled one back in the 86th minute when Lukaku turned in Thomas Meunier’s near-post cross.

The equaliser arrived just three minutes later when Diaw failed to deal with Leandro Trossard’s delivery, allowing Tielemans to nod into an empty net. The dramatic turnaround was complete in extra-time when Belgium were awarded a penalty for a foul on Tielemans after a VAR review. The Aston Villa midfielder calmly sent Diaw the wrong way to complete a scarcely believable 3-2 victory.

Here are the player ratings for Belgium from the Seattle clash:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (5/10): Almost gifted Sarr the opener after mishandling a cross. Had little chance with either of the goals but kept Belgium alive with a fine save from Mane at 2-0.

Timothy Castagne (4/10): Struggled to contain Mane throughout and his failure to close down the Al-Nassr winger contributed to the first goal. Improved slightly when moved to left-back after De Cuyper’s substitution.

Brandon Mechele (4/10): His lack of pace forced him to drop deeper than the rest of the backline, which proved costly as he played Sarr onside for Senegal’s second. Picked up a booking.

Arthur Theate (5/10): Beaten aerially by Sarr in the build-up to the opener and failed to keep pace with him for the second. Made a few important interventions but endured a mixed performance overall.

Maxim De Cuyper (3/10): Poor defensively and often sloppy in possession, with his final ball lacking quality. Did at least test Diaw with a first-half strike but contributed little else.

Midfield

Hans Vanaken (5/10): Kept things tidy in midfield but lacked creativity or risk-taking. Substituted midway through the second half.

Youri Tielemans (7/10): Struggled to control the tempo early on and his delivery into the box was inconsistent. Showed courage to head home the equaliser and became far more influential thereafter. Won and converted the decisive penalty with great composure.

Kevin De Bruyne (3/10): A shadow of his former self, far off his usual sharpness. Blazed a wild effort over the bar in the first half, epitomising a poor showing. Replaced before the hour mark.

Attack

Leandro Trossard (7/10): Started brightly but faded as Belgium struggled to involve him. After a heated exchange with Tielemans, he responded positively by assisting the equaliser. Looked the most creative outlet in extra-time before being replaced by Onana.

Charles De Ketelaere (3/10): Once again ineffective up front, failing to impose himself or link up play. Substituted at half-time for Lukaku.

Jeremy Doku (4/10): Showed flashes of his dribbling ability but lacked end product. His early withdrawal after 55 minutes was still surprising.

Substitutes & Manager

Romelu Lukaku (7/10): Introduced at half-time and struggled initially but came alive by scoring the first goal. His physical presence troubled Senegal thereafter.

Nicolas Raskin (5/10): Steady if unspectacular in midfield after replacing De Bruyne.

Dodi Lukebakio (7/10): Injected energy down the right flank and nearly scored before Belgium’s comeback began. Hit the crossbar in extra-time and looked lively throughout.

Diego Moreira (7/10): Added spark on the left after coming on for Vanaken, exuding confidence in possession.

Thomas Meunier (7/10): Delivered the assist for Lukaku’s goal with a precise cross and continued to threaten down the right during extra-time.

Amadou Onana (6/10): Featured for about 20 minutes including added time, showing composure and neat touches in the midfield.

Rudi Garcia (6/10): His side were dreadful for most of the game and his substitutions raised eyebrows, yet they ultimately proved decisive. Whether luck or intuition, the changes paid off.