UNITED STATES -- Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia moved to clarify comments he made in the aftermath of Senegal's 3-2 FIFA World Cup Last 32 defeat by his side,, with accusations of racism being levelled at the French coach in the aftermath of his initial quotes.
Belgium came back from two goals down to defeat Africa's champions 3-2 in Seattle to advance to the last 16, with the Red Devils scoring twice in the final four minutes of the match to take the tie to extra time before winning it with a 124th-minute penalty.
Speaking after the match to RTBF, Garcia suggested that Senegal's capitulation was exactly what he was expecting from 'those teams', prompting suggestions across social media and beyond that he was making a broad and lazy generalisation about African teams.
"We know these teams, they lose their tactical structure towards the end of the match," he told the Belgian broadcaster.
"We also know that at 2-0, they would do anything to protect their goal which, in my opinion, is a serious mistake.
"Remind me never to do this when I'm winning 2-0, because when they conceded a goal like the one to make it 2-1, the whole game changes."
Posting on his official Instagram handle on Thursday, however, the 62-year-old moved to make it clear that his original comments in the aftermath of the victory were not aimed at African teams.
"To revisit my post-match statement and clear up any ambiguity," he wrote on his @rudigarciaoff handle, "when I spoke of 'those teams' I was referring to teams unaccustomed to managing a lead in high-level World Cup matches.
"My comments were by no means aimed at African teams; they could just as easily have applied to Asian, South American or European teams unfamiliar with that kind of pressure.
"As a less experienced coach myself, I learned the hard way that stopping play to defend a result at all costs is counterproductive.
"That is what I had in mind when I said that such teams can lose their tactical shape in those moments."
Senegal appeared on course for a routine victory after Habib Diarra's opener and Ismaïla Sarr's goal early in the second half gave them a commanding advantage over a Belgium team that appeared listless and lacking cohesion.
By the time of Sarr's second goal, Senegal had registered twice as many shots as Garcia's side, but the momentum shifted in the second half, with Pape Thiaw withdrawing Diarra and Pape Gueye, unknowingly handing the initiative to Belgium.
Garcia's side promptly pulled a goal back through Romelu Lukaku in the 86th minute, equalised through Youri Tielemans three minutes later, before winning it in the 124th minute when Lamine Camara was adjudged to have brought down Tielemans in the box.
The Aston Villa midfielder stepped up to convert from the spot, sending Belgium through to a Last 16 tie with the United States in Seattle on July 6.
