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The USA now knows which team can await in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
Belgium rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat Senegal, 3-2 in extra time, in Wednesday’s World Cup Round of 16 match, earning a potential matchup with the Americans if the United States takes on Bosnia and Herzegovina later in the night.
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A win over Bosnia wouldn’t just send the Americans into the round of 16 for a second consecutive World Cup. It would create a meeting with a Belgian team that just completed one of the wildest comebacks in the tournament.
Youri Tielemans #8 of Belgium celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1, 2026. (Jared C. Tilton – FIFA / Getty Images)
Belgium finished third in the 2018 World Cup and failed to advance past the group stage in 2022, but the roster still had the star power to make another deep run. Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois gave the Belgians the kind of skill that makes a team dangerous in any tournament. This is why Belgium was favored to defeat Senegal.
But games are not played on paper.
Senegal first got on the board in the 25th minute when Habib Diarra cleared a rebound after Ismaila Sarr hit the post to give Senegal a 1-0 lead.
The match was briefly interrupted in the 32nd minute when at least three pitch invaders entered the pitch, forcing the referees to stop play while security responded.
Security staff swarmed the pitch during the break as Belgium defender Maxim De Cuyper held on to the ball as the scene unfolded.
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Pictures from the match showed several people being apprehended or escorted away by security during the bizarre stop.
Security personnel apprehend several pitch invaders during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1, 2026. (Getty Images)
It was a strange interruption in the middle of a game that Senegal had largely controlled. And it did little to change the flow of the game.
Senegal doubled the lead early in the second half. Sarr, who had already helped set up Diarra’s opening reception by hitting the post, made Belgium pay again in the 51st minute after a pass from Moussa Niakhaté to put Senegal firmly in control.
At the time, Senegal seemed a lock to advance to the round of 16 for the second consecutive World Cup.
But the talented Belgian squad refused to go down easily.
Lukaku halved Senegal’s lead in the 86th minute, finishing a Thomas Meunier set-up to give Belgium life.
Moments later, Youri Tielemans completed the comeback, scoring a pass from Leandro Trossard to make it 2-2 and throw what looked like a Senegal upset into complete chaos.
Perhaps surprisingly, Belgium made its wild comeback without two of its stars on the pitch. De Bruyne and Doku were both sent off in the 56th minute with Belgium trailing 2-0.
The immediate substitutions did not directly feature in any of the goals, but Belgium’s bench still played a big role: half-time substitute Lukaku scored the first and Thomas Meunier, who came on in the 78th minute, assisted it.
After scoring the equalizer late in regulation, Tielemans stepped to the penalty spot in the 120+5. minute and buried the go-ahead to complete Belgium’s stunning comeback.
Senegal went from leading 2-0 in the 86th minute to seeing their tournament end less than an hour later.
Now the focus shifts to the Americans.
The USA enters Wednesday’s game at Levi’s Stadium with a chance to keep its World Cup run alive in front of a home crowd. The reward is clear: beat Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium are next.
Auston Trusty celebrates with teammates after scoring the USA’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match against Türkiye at Los Angeles Stadium. (Jared C. Tilton/FIFA via Getty Images)
The USMNT was favored to advance to the quarterfinals on its side of the Round of 32 draw, with Belgium as the second favorite. For most of the game, it looked like the Americans could avoid Belgium altogether.
Not anymore.
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The Belgians survived and are riding high on a heroic comeback, perhaps making the USA’s road that much more difficult. But before the Americans can even think about that, they have to take care of business against Bosnia.
If they do, their Round of 16 opponent is set.
Belgium is waiting.
