World Cup: five cruel scenarios that shattered African dreams!

01.07.26 AET World Cup

Belgium

3

:

Senegal

2

Once again, the dying minutes have turned into a real nightmare for African teams at the World Cup,

Time and again, representatives from the African continent have come agonizingly close to historic feats at the World Cup, only to concede heartbreaking late goals that spelled a bitter exit from football's biggest stage.

Let's look back at five dramatic scenarios experienced by African sides in the dying moments of the World Cup.

Morocco vs West Germany (World Cup 1986)

The Atlas Lions stood toe-to-toe with West Germany in their round of 16 clash at the 1986 World Cup.

Just as extra time seemed inevitable, Morocco suffered a devastating blow in the 87th minute. Off a brilliantly struck direct free-kick, Lothar Matthäus broke through the vigilance of Badou Zaki, who had previously pulled off several spectacular saves.

The North African side exited the tournament with heads held high, notably after their stunning 3-1 victory over Portugal in the group stage.

Cameroon vs England (World Cup 1990)

With Roger Milla on fire, Cameroon was just inches away from a historic semi-final berth at the 1990 World Cup, at England's expense.

With seven minutes left on the clock, the Indomitable Lions led 2-1. But they hadn’t counted on Gary Lineker's predatory instincts—he equalized in the 83rd minute, then netted the winner at 104 minutes.

Senegal vs Turkey (World Cup 2002)

Senegal dazzled football fans in 2002 with its golden generation.

After stunning France in the opening match, Senegal had a golden chance to become the first African team ever to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

That opportunity slipped away when İlhan Mansız struck a golden goal in the 104th minute, sending Turkey through and ending Senegal's fairytale run.

DR Congo vs England (World Cup 2026)

July 1, 2026 will forever be etched in the memories of Congolese fans.

The Leopards were on the verge of a first-ever round of 16 qualification at the 2026 World Cup, with England on the ropes.

The Congolese made the perfect start, taking the lead through Brian Cipengo in the 7th minute. But Harry Kane once again proved invaluable for the Three Lions, equalizing in the 75th minute before netting the winner in the 86th.

Senegal vs Belgium (World Cup 2026)

That same day, Senegal endured an even more heartbreaking scenario.

Focused and determined, the Lions dominated proceedings, netting twice through Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr.

Seemingly on their way to a well-deserved place in the round of 16, they lost focus in the dying moments. Romelu Lukaku pulled one back in the 86th minute, then Youri Tielemans leveled in the 89th.

It was that same Youri Tielemans who sealed Belgium's qualification, converting a penalty at 120+5 minutes.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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