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The anatomy of a World Cup implosion: 40 minutes that broke Senegal and revived Belgium
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Belgium mounted a historic World Cup comeback against Senegal, overturning a 2-0 deficit late in the match to win in extra time, with manager Rudi Garcia anticipating a late rally despite the scoreline.
- Tactical changes and substitutions by Garcia, including bringing on Diego Moreira and withdrawing key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku, helped Belgium regain possession and momentum in the second half.
- Senegal's defense faltered in the final minutes, conceding two quick goals and ultimately losing on a controversial penalty in the 125th minute, the latest goal ever scored in World Cup history.
- Senegal players and coach accepted responsibility for the loss, acknowledging a lack of character and failure to manage the game when leading 2-0, contrasting with their previous protests in the AFCON final.
- The dramatic turnaround left Senegal devastated and Belgium euphoric, with the match becoming one of the most remarkable comebacks in World Cup knockout history.
