The Teranga Lions' World Cup dream was brutally extinguished by a heart-stopping late penalty, as Senegal fell to a 3-2 defeat against Belgium in Seattle. The cruel blow echoes the agonising AFCON final heartbreak, where a contentious VAR decision also sparked outrage among the Senegalese faithful.
The game had seemed all but won for Senegal, with a commanding 2-0 lead established through goals from Premier League stars Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr. The latter's breathtaking second-half effort, where he chest-controlled a long ball before unleashing a powerful strike past Thibaut Courtois, was a contender for the tournament's goal of the year – and saw him equal Cameroon legend Roger Milla's African record of four World Cup goals, achieved at Italia '90.
But as the match wore on, Belgium staged an incredible comeback, leaving Senegal shell-shocked by the parallels with their previous AFCON final defeat. In that match, a disputed headed goal from Sarr was disallowed before Morocco were awarded a penalty after a VAR review for a foul on Brahim Diaz – despite Diaz's ensuing spot-kick being missed.
Senegal eventually won the title in extra time, only to have it stripped two months later by a Confederation of African Football appeal board. The decision is still under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In the World Cup fixture, Edouard Mendy's injury absence meant he couldn't replicate his heroics from the AFCON final penalty shootout – and Mory Diaw was unable to stop Youri Tielemans' clinically taken spot-kick, which sealed Senegal's fate. The recurring theme of late, contentious penalties has cast a dark cloud over what would otherwise have been a triumphant period for several Premier League stars.
The emotional toll on the squad is immense, particularly Sarr – who had an outstanding season scoring 21 goals in all competitions to help Crystal Palace lift the UEFA Conference League trophy. Despite individual brilliance, the collective international dream has been shattered in a painfully familiar and heartbreaking fashion – twice within a year.