World Cup 2026: Senegal thump 10-man Iraq 5-0 to keep knockout hopes alive

Senegal kept their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification hopes alive in emphatic fashion on Friday night after producing a dominant 5-0 victory over 10-man Iraq in their final Group I encounter.

Both nations entered the contest knowing only a win would keep their slim hopes of progression alive after suffering defeats in their opening two group stage matches.

However, Senegal quickly took control and never looked back against an Iraqi side reduced to ten men early in the game.

The Lions of Teranga wasted little time imposing themselves on the match and opened the scoring in the fourth minute.

Habib Diarra reacted quickest inside the box after a corner delivery and bundled the ball over the line to hand Senegal an early advantage.

The turning point of the match came in the 10th minute following a dangerous challenge from Rebin Sulaka.

Referee Anthony Taylor initially issued a yellow card, but after being advised to review the incident through VAR, he overturned the decision and produced a straight red card instead.

The dismissal left Iraq facing an uphill task for the remainder of the match and allowed Senegal to dominate possession and attacking opportunities.

Despite controlling the game for long spells, Senegal had to wait until the second half to extend their lead.

In the 56th minute, Ismaila Sarr capitalised on a defensive mistake and calmly slotted the ball home from close range to make it 2-0.

Just three minutes later, Pape Gueye added Senegal’s third goal with a powerful strike that found the inside of the right post.

Gueye continued his impressive performance in the 71st minute when he unleashed a superb first-time effort from the edge of the penalty area to score Senegal’s fourth of the evening.

Senegal completed the demolition in the 82nd minute through Iliman Ndiaye. The forward latched onto a pass outside the box before curling a brilliant strike into the top right corner beyond the helpless goalkeeper.

The goal capped a commanding display from Senegal, who delivered one of the most convincing performances of the tournament so far.

The emphatic victory gives Senegal renewed hope of reaching the knockout stage, although their final fate will depend on results from other group games to determine their standings among the best third-placed teams.

For Iraq, meanwhile, the heavy defeat brings a disappointing end to their World Cup campaign after a difficult tournament in which they failed to secure a single point.

 

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