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By Vikram Iyer — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

Senegal’s dominant performance

Senegal achieved a significant 5-0 victory over Iraq, enhancing their prospects of advancing to the knockout stages of the World Cup. The match, played in Toronto, saw the West African side record the largest win by an African nation in a World Cup tournament. This result was crucial for both teams, as they had previously lost their initial two Group I matches against France and Norway. A substantial win was necessary for Senegal to keep their hopes of progression alive, while Iraq‘s chances of reaching the knockout stages were ended by this defeat.

The game started with an early lead for Pape Thiaw‘s side. In the fourth minute, Habib Diarra of Sunderland got the final touch on a header from Abdoulaye Seck, putting Senegal ahead. This early goal set the tone for their performance.

Iraq faced a further setback in the 12th minute. Defender Rebin Sulaka was initially shown a yellow card for pulling down Sadio Mane outside the box. However, after a VAR review, the referee upgraded the card to a red, ruling that Sulaka had denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. This incident made Iraq only the second team in World Cup history to concede a goal and receive a red card within the opening 15 minutes of a match.

Second-half surge seals victory

Despite being a man down, Iraq managed to hold off Senegal for the remainder of the first half, with goalkeeper Basil making a notable save from a Mane free-kick. However, Senegal‘s attacking intent intensified after the break.

The deadlock was broken again ten minutes into the second half. Crystal Palace‘s Ismaila Sarr tapped in a pull-back from Lamine Camara, extending Senegal‘s lead. Just 89 seconds later, substitute Pape Gueye curled in a goal, further solidifying their advantage. Gueye then scored his second goal, a powerful strike that reached a speed of 132km per hour. Sadio Mane also hit the bar with a looping effort.

The scoring was completed by Everton‘s Iliman Ndiaye, who added another goal after a run of 20 yards, leaving Iraq‘s substitute goalkeeper Jalal Hassan with no chance. The final score of 5-0 reflected Senegal‘s dominant performance, particularly in the second half.

Implications for the knockout stages

The emphatic victory significantly boosts Senegal‘s chances of progressing as one of the top eight third-placed teams in the tournament. As of the current standings, with 11 group games remaining, Senegal is positioned to face England in the round of 32. The team’s strong attacking display in the second half, where they scored four goals, was highlighted as crucial for their advancement hopes.

The result means that while nothing is definitively set, it would require a substantial shift in other results to displace Pape Thiaw‘s side from the top eight third-placed teams. Entering the knockout stages with such a decisive win could provide significant momentum for Senegal. However, finishing third in their group would mean facing a group winner in the next round, emphasizing the importance of maintaining their attacking intensity.

The match saw Habib Diarra score in the fourth minute, Ismaila Sarr in the 56th minute, and Pape Gueye scoring in the 59th and 71st minutes, with Iliman Ndiaye adding the final goal in the 82nd minute.

Source: skysports.com