Drama in the 125th! VAR gives Belgium a lifeline, Tielemans keeps his cool
Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The Belgian national team snatched victory from Senegal in the round of 16 at the World Cup thanks to a late penalty awarded after a VAR review.
Details: In the 117th minute, Lamine Camara brought down Youri Tielemans in the penalty area, and after checking the replay, referee Said Martinez pointed to the spot.
The incident initially went unpunished. Belgium continued their attack, with Dodi Lukebakio rattling the crossbar, but then the video assistant referees called the main official over to the monitor.
After review, Said Martinez overturned his decision and awarded the penalty in the 121st minute. For Senegal, it was a crushing blow at the death in extra time.
Tielemans stepped up with nerves of steel and fired into the top corner. His goal in the 125th minute proved decisive — Belgium triumphed 3-2 and advanced to the next round.
Reminder: Earlier, we reported that Ismaïla Sarr matched a record set by Roger Milla, scoring four goals at a single World Cup — the best tally for an African player at one tournament.
