Belgium and Senegal meet in the World Cup last 32 in Seattle, with both teams looking to establish their credentials after inconsistent group stages. Kick-off is at 4pm local time (6pm EDT, 9pm BST, 6am AEST).
Belgium's 'has-beens' tag fuels motivation
Belgium topped Group G with a 5-1 win over New Zealand, but manager Rudi Garcia was angered by a newspaper article calling his players 'has-beens'. He singled out four leaders — Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Leandro Trossard — who he believes can silence critics. Trossard scored twice against New Zealand, with Belgium's first goal of the tournament coming at the 45th attempt after over 200 minutes of play.
Senegal's tricky path to knockout stage
Senegal, ranked 18th in the world, advanced as one of the best third-place teams after a tough group that included France and Norway. They lost to France and Norway but beat Iraq to progress. The African champions have been tipped as dark horses, especially after a friendly win against England a year ago.
What's at stake
The winner faces the United States or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 16. Both Belgium and Senegal have the quality to reach the quarter-finals, but consistency has been elusive. Belgium's experience and Senegal's athleticism make this a compelling matchup.
