"You want conviction in referee's decision": Keane slams official after Belgium handed late penalty in FIFA WC epic against Senegal
Seattle, July 2
Following Belgium's remarkable come-from-behind win over Senegal to seal a FIFA World Cup round of 16 clash courtesy of a late penalty conversion from Youri Tielemans, former England footballer Roy Keane blasted the referee for taking too long to hand Belgium a penalty, calling it a "bit harsh" for Senegal.
After Habib Diarra (24th minute) and Ismaila Sarr (51st minute) scored and another giant seemed to be on its way out, Romelu Lukaku (86th minute), Tielemans (89th minute) changed the course of the game, taking it to extra time.
Tielemans took the penalty after the VAR review awarded his team one for Lamine Camara's foul on Tielemans, sealing one of the tournament's most dramatic victories and rewriting the World Cup record books. His winning penalty in the 124th minute and 44th second broke the previous timeline records for late game-winners, becoming the latest goal ever scored in FIFA World Cup history.
Following the match, Sky Sports expert Roy, a former Manchester United stalwart, said on ITV Sport, as quoted by Sky Sports, that the African nation "found a way to lose the game".
"Senegal found a way to lose the game, and it was a great reaction for Belgium. The penalty is a bit harsh, and the referee took so long to look at the screen. You want conviction in the referee's decision, and he was hesitating for a long time," he said.
Also, Gary Neville, another England and Manchester United legend, said that a FIFA WC is a "place for dreams and then it is a place for dreams to be shattered."
"They [Senegal] gave up a two-goal lead with five minutes to go. Credit to Belgium, I do not know how they got out of it," he signed off.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking for Senegal, but credit to Belgium for never giving up. As an Indian, I know a thing or two about dramatic chases in cricket, but this was pure football adrenaline. That 124th-minute penalty will be remembered for decades. 🏆
I get that VAR is there to correct clear errors, but at what point does it ruin the flow of the game? The referee took ages, and then overturned his own decision. Senegal must feel robbed. Roy Keane is absolutely right—you need conviction in such big moments.
Gary Neville's comment about dreams being shattered is so true for Senegal. They were 15 minutes away from glory, but football can be cruel. Still, Belgium's comeback shows why the World Cup is the greatest show on earth. Would love to see more VAR consistency though. ⚽
As someone who loves football, I feel for Senegal. They played their hearts out and were undone by a late, controversial call. Roy Keane is usually harsh, but here he's making a fair point about referee indecisiveness. The system needs to be faster and more transparent.
What a match! This is why we love football—sheer drama from start to finish. But the referee's hesitation did spoil the moment slightly. In India, we've seen similar controversies in cricket with DRS; technology is great, but it must be used decisively. Senegal will learn from this, but it hurts now. 💔
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