Halftime Observations From Belgium vs Senegal in Round of 32 Action, July 1st, 2026
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - The first half of the Round of 32 matchup between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium was dominated by the African side, who have shown well on the field and in the stands. The Lions of Teranga scored the opening goal of this match in the 25th minute, 11 minutes after a near miss right on the goal line, and possession has largely favored them over the Red Devils in the opening 45.
Here are some basic halftime observations on the Belgium vs Senegal match at Seattle Stadium in the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, from our seat in the press box.
Senegal comes within inches of an opener
The first ten minutes of this match saw Belgium largely control possession and lead in touches in the opposition’s box. Despite this, it was Senegal who had the first dangerous chance on goal in the 13th minute, as left back Ismail Jakobs sent a cross in from his side of the field for striker Ismaïla Sarr. It was a brilliantly placed cross to Sarr, who couldn’t properly control the ball right in front of goal, and a messy attempt to slot it home resulted in it hitting a post and going out for a goal kick.
Sarr has put himself in great positions early in this match, and it seems like he’s due for a goal in the second half, with the way he’s perfectly picked the places on the pitch to dissect the Belgium defense. This Senegal attack has put the Red Devils in plenty of positions that they don’t want to be in, and I’d expect that to continue in the second half.
Of course, The Lions of Teranga would get their opening goal of the match in the 24th minute, thanks to Habib Diarra pouncing on a loose ball right in front of an open goal shortly after a header from Sarr hit the post. A right-footed cross by Sadio Mané, his only successful cross of the first half, found Sarr perfectly near the center of the box, and his header was largely headed the right way. Combine the chance earlier with this header that hit the woodwork, and it only furthers my belief in Sarr netting his own goal in the second half.
Belgium needs an infusion of life
Simply put, Belgium has looked lackluster in their attack in this knockout round match against a Senegal side with the athleticism to lock down a slower side. Even without normal starting goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, sidelined for now due to a knee injury, current starter Mory Diaw hasn’t had to do much in between the sticks for The Lions of Teranga.
It’s not like the lack of bite in their attack is shocking, considering their minimal goal production outside of the victory over New Zealand, but it’s a bit daunting for them in an actual knockout match. Striker Charles De Ketelaere hasn’t done much with his match-leading five touches in the opposition box, earning himself a 5.5 match rating currently on Fotmob, having been dispossessed three times and winning just one of five ground duels. None of the attacking players for the Red Devils have done much of substance in the opening half, with Leo Trossard and Jeremy Doku providing moments of danger but not much.
Kevin De Bruyne has been all over the Senegal half of the field and has generated one chance, but his actions haven’t necessarily resulted in direct danger yet for Mory Diaw in goal for The Lions of Teranga. It truly feels like this is the end of the road for the Red Devils, and this may be the last match some of these major names will ever play for Belgium.
What to look for in the second half
Pre-match, I was told that the only real situation in which Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku would play was if the Red Devils found themselves trailing. That’s come to fruition, and it’s clear that they need some help in their attack.
Outside of Lukaku, there aren’t many great options I’d bring on to replace in Belgium’s starting eleven, which is a bit concerning. There’s been plenty of talk leading up to this tournament and during it about the Golden Generation fading for the Red Devils, and that group has one half here to either prove that discussion right or silence it for at least another round.
Senegal has performed very well defensively in their group stage matches, and they have the athleticism to hang with just about any attack. Against this aging Belgian roster, expect The Lions of Teranga to continue controlling the pace of the match and keep the Red Devils’ attack at bay. This looks like the end of the line for the Belgians.
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Check out our previous FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup coverage here.
Check out our previous articles written by Charles Hamaker here.
Check out our previous articles with photos by Bryant Garduque here, and his portfolio here.
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