Senegal appeared to be cruising towards a round of 32 victory against Belgium, only for a dramatic late collapse to deny the Teranga Lions what had seemed like a certain place in the next round.

The match swung wildly in its final stages, leaving Sadio Mané and his teammates with a painful sense of déjà vu — a feeling all too familiar for a squad that has tasted late heartbreak before on the biggest stage of all.

A lead that slipped away

For much of the contest, Senegal controlled proceedings and looked well set to advance. The Teranga Lions were disciplined and threatening in equal measure, and a victory seemed within reach.

Yet football has a way of rewriting its own script without warning. Belgium, refusing to accept defeat, found a way back into the match during a frantic and chaotic closing passage of play that turned the result on its head.

The collapse will sting — not just because of the points dropped, but because of the manner in which the match slipped away. Senegal had done the hard work, only for the final whistle to arrive too late to save them.

Déjà vu for Mané and company

For Mané and the rest of the Senegal squad, the cruel twist at the end carried echoes of previous World Cup heartaches. Senegal have found themselves on the wrong end of dramatic late finishes before, and this latest episode will fuel a burning desire to put things right.

The result deals a blow to Senegal's ambitions in this tournament, but the spirit and quality on display will give supporters reason to believe this squad is capable of going deep in future competitions. The pain of a late collapse is real — but so is the talent in this group.