Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw described football as “cruel” after his side suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Belgium despite holding a two-goal lead until the 85th minute of their FIFA World Cup clash in Seattle, United States. Senegal appeared on course for a place in the knockout stage after taking a commanding 2-0 advantage, but Belgium staged a stunning late comeback, scoring twice from the 86th minute before netting the winning
goal from a penalty deep into stoppage time to complete an extraordinary turnaround. Speaking to FIFA after the match, Thiaw expressed his disappointment but refused to be drawn into any debate over the refereeing or the penalty decision. Instead, he summed up the painful defeat by saying that football can be incredibly cruel. The Senegal coach admitted his team’s inability to maintain defensive concentration in the closing stages proved costly, allowing Belgium to erase the deficit within minutes.
He added that the match was a reminder that football is played until the final whistle, with every moment demanding full focus. Despite the heartbreaking exit, Thiaw congratulated Belgium on reaching the Round of 16 and said Senegal must now look ahead to the future.
