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Belgium engineered a stunning late turnaround to defeat Senegal in the World Cup round of 32, overturning a two-goal deficit with just five minutes of normal time left on the clock. Head coach Rudi Garcia credited a decisive tactical shift for the win, while later clarifying comments he made about Senegal’s defensive strategy in the closing stages.

Belgium pull off dramatic late recovery

The Red Devils produced one of the World Cup’s most memorable comebacks by coming from 2-0 down late in their last-32 clash with Senegal. As the match neared full time, Belgium struck twice to force extra time and then sealed a 3-2 victory, securing their passage to the round of 16.

In the aftermath, Garcia highlighted Senegal’s decision to sit back and defend their lead as the crucial turning point. His remarks quickly gained traction, sparking debate over whether they were aimed at Senegal’s tactical discipline or a general observation about game management.

Garcia clarifies his comments following controversy

Speaking to RTBF after the game, Garcia elaborated on why he felt Belgium were able to overturn the two-goal deficit. His explanation focused on Senegal’s defensive posture after taking control of the game, though one particular phrase drew criticism.

“We know these teams; they lose their tactical control towards the end of the match,” Garcia said. “At 2-0, we knew they would do everything to protect their goal, which in my opinion is a serious mistake. Remind me, when we’re 2-0 up, not to do that! Because when you concede a goal like they did at 2-1, the game changed completely, and we were able to equalise.”

When asked about those comments during his post-match press conference, Garcia initially denied the exact phrasing before offering a clarification.

“No, no, I didn’t say that. You’re misinterpreting my words. Senegal deserved to go through as much as we did,” he explained, as quoted by Maxifoot. “I said that when you’re ahead — and that applies to every team in the world — you tend to drop back and try to protect your goal. We pushed forward, and they dropped back. And I think if we hadn’t scored the second goal, we would never have come back.”

Garcia emphasises momentum as the deciding factor

According to Garcia, Belgium’s first goal completely shifted the momentum of the match. He insisted that his assessment referred to the general psychology of teams defending a lead rather than being a criticism directed solely at Senegal.

He also commended Senegal’s display, saying: “When we scored the goal for 2-1, the match changes its soul, as we say in French. After that, in extra time, it was like a boxing match, with both sides exchanging blows. In the end, I think the penalty was justified. I want to say that Senegal deserved to go through as much as we did, but I’m happy it fell our way, because we came back from a long way behind.”

Belgium now shift focus to the round of 16

Following their dramatic victory, Belgium will face the United States in the round of 16 as they aim to extend their World Cup journey. Garcia’s team will look to harness the confidence and momentum generated by their remarkable comeback performance.