Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has admitted that his side’s defensive approach after taking a two-goal lead contributed to their dramatic 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Teranga Lions appeared to be in control after first-half goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr put them 2-0 ahead. However, Belgium mounted a late comeback through Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans to level the score and force extra time.
Tielemans completed the turnaround by converting a late penalty just moments before a penalty shootout, sending Belgium into the Round of 16.
Reflecting on the defeat, Thiaw said Senegal retreated too deep in an attempt to protect their lead, allowing Belgium to grow into the game.
“We had the match in hand, winning 2-0, and then we backed off a little towards the end because we wanted to hold onto the score,” he said.
The coach added that despite his team’s efforts to regain momentum after conceding, they were unable to recover, saying the players gave everything in their bid to qualify.
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