Belgium complete a superb escape to the round of 16 as VAR leaves Senegal heartbroken

If football can be cruel, it seems to reserve its harshest lessons for Senegal. Just when it looked like the Lions of Teranga would script one of the World Cup’s biggest surprises, history repeated itself. After seeing a two-goal lead slip away, Senegal were left devastated by a controversial penalty awarded by VAR to give Belgium a dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory and a place in the last 16. It was another chapter in a growing catalog of heartbreak for a golden generation that has repeatedly found itself on the wrong side of football’s best divisions.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

02 Jul 2026 04:49 IST