SEATTLE -- Youri Tielemans scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time of extra time, and Belgium came back from two goals down in the game's closing minutes to beat Senegal 3-2 Wednesday in the round of 32 at the World Cup at Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field).
Tielemans was fouled just before the end of the 30 minutes of extra time were completed and the referee awarded the penalty after a video review.
His converted spot kick came in the 125th minute and was the latest goal in World Cup history. The referee blew his whistle shortly after as Belgium sealed a spot in the round of 16.
"I do not want to interpret the decision. We all have different interpretations when it comes to awarding a penalty," Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said. "I'd rather not comment, not interpreting the referee's decision."
Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr gave the Senegalese a 2-0 lead, but Belgium substitute Romelu Lukaku got one back in the 86th minute and Tielemans equalized in the 89th.
The win for Belgium marked the second time in the last 11 World Cups that a team trailed by two or more goals in the knockout round and advanced. Belgium also did so in a 3-2 victory over Japan in the round of 16 at the 2018 tournament.
Many of the key players from that Belgium team, which finished in third place in Russia, were instrumental to Wednesday's victory.
Striker Lukaku, who leads his nation in goals scored, came off the bench to get Belgium back into the match by scoring in the 86th minute, setting the scene for Tielemans to force extra time.
"It is a cruel loss, as we were good in the game," Thiaw said. "We had the advantage. We were leading 2-0. However a football match is not an 85-minute one. Belgium came back, and we were not able to deal with that.
"We must congratulate Belgium as they progress."
Belgium is back in the round of 16 for the third time in four tournaments. The team reached the quarterfinals in 2014 and the semifinals in 2018 but failed to get out of the group stage four years ago in Qatar.
The Belgians will next face either the United States or Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday in Seattle.
Sarr scored his fourth goal of the World Cup, and one of the most beautiful of the tournament, to give Senegal a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute. He made a perfect first touch off his chest on a long ball from Moussa Niakhaté and then sent his shot past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Senegal, which was without goalkeeper Édouard Mendy because of a knee injury, took the lead on Diarra's goal in the 25th minute.
Courtois, who is playing in his fourth World Cup, then made three key saves to keep Senegal from increasing its lead.
It's the second time this year Senegal has been hit with a late penalty in a big game.
In the Africa Cup of Nations final on Jan. 18, Senegal's players left the field in stoppage time after having a late goal ruled out before Morocco was awarded a potentially game-deciding penalty. There were scuffles between rival players before Thiaw led most of his players off the field.
They returned after about 10 minutes later and play resumed with Morocco midfielder Brahim DÃaz having his penalty saved by Mendy. Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye then scored the only goal in extra time, but the victory was taken away in March by the governing body of African soccer and Morocco was awarded a 3-0 default victory.
Three people ran onto the field and disrupted the game in the 32nd minute. Roughly a dozen security guards were deployed to get them off the field. Belgium defender Maxim De Cuyper held onto the ball amid the incident.
At the time of the interruption, Senegal was leading Belgium 1-0 on a goal by Diarra in the 25th minute. Diarra also scored in the 5-0 rout of Iraq.
Senegal advanced to the knockout round as one of the best third-place finishers. The African team navigated one of the toughest groups in the tournament, facing France and Erling Haaland-led Norway.
Belgium won its group with five points. The Red Devils did not advance out of the group stage at the last World Cup in Qatar following a historic third-place finish at the 2018 tournament in Russia.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
