Youri Tielemans scored a 125th-minute penalty as Belgium produced a stunning fightback to beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup round of 32 tie in Seattle.
Senegal looked set to receive deserved reward for a largely excellent performance as goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr gave them a commanding 2-0 lead.
Belgium were lacklustre for most of the contest and rarely looked like responding until Romelu Lukaku gave them hope four minutes from the end of normal time.
Tielemans then levelled matters three minutes later as he beat Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw to Leandro Trossard’s cross to head home.
An absorbing encounter looked destined to be decided a penalty shootout but, in the end, it required just one spot-kick to settle it.
That came as referee Said Martinez ruled, following a VAR check, that Lamine Camara had fouled Tielemans.
For Senegal, who were stripped off their Africa Cup of Nations title for leaving the field in the final in protest of a contentious Morocco penalty, it was a horrible case of deja vu.
On that occasion back in January, Brahim Diaz missed his penalty. However, Tielemans ensured there was no reprieve this time around, doubling his tally to send Belgium into a last-16 tie with either co-hosts United States or Bosnia Herzegovina at the same venue in the last 16.
Belgium claim controversial win in World Cup classic
Only the woodwork prevented Senegal’s fast start from being rewarded in the 13th minute when Thibaut Courtois palmed Ismail Jakobs’ left-wing cross into the path of Sarr, who saw his close-range effort hit the right-hand post.
Sarr the same post with a brilliant header from a Sadio Mane delivery 11 minutes later, but this time the rebound fell to Diarra to tap in the leveller.
The fact that Belgium’s best moment of the first half came when left-back Maxim De Cuyper forced a full-stretch save from Diaw illustrated their lack of threat.
And their hopes of progression looked in tatters when Sarr doubled Senegal’s lead, the Crystal Palace forward brilliantly controlling Moussa Niakhate’s long ball forward and powering beyond a helpless Courtois.
Dodi Lukebakio, Timothy Castagne and Tielemans all fashioned chances as Belgium sought a way back into the game, but they looked to have run out of ideas until Lukaku halved the deficit, flicking home at the near post from Thomas Meunier’s pull back.
Belgium’s surge in belief following that goal was obvious and they were soon level as Diaw’s decision to come for Trossard’s in-swinging delivery backfired, with Tielemans’ header looping into the net.
Senegal had an excellent chance to restore their lead in extra time as Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye side-footed wide after excellent work down the right from fellow teenage substitute Bara Sapoko Ndiaye.
And they were made to pay for that profligacy in hugely dramatic circumstances in the closing minutes of the second period of extra time as, after a pitchside review, referee Martinez deemed Camara had fouled Tielemans in attempting to defend a low ball into the box before Lukebakio struck the crossbar.
Despite a significant delay as Senegal’s Pathe Ciss went down in the box claiming an off-the-ball incident, Tielemans kept his cool to find the top-right corner from 12 yards and complete a remarkable comeback.
