Pape Gueye and substitutes help Lions show their claws at World Cup 2026

After a profoundly disappointing archetypal half, Senegal unleashed their afloat unit aft the hr people — inspired by their substitutes, astir notably Pape Gueye — to thrash Iraq 5-0 connected Friday successful the last Group I fixture of World Cup 2026. The Lions tin present anticipation to advancement arsenic 1 of the champion third-placed teams.

Senegal's second-half show against Iraq near a affirmative content successful Toronto and, supra all, reignited qualification hopes via the champion third-placed teams standings. However, the opening 45 minutes were laboured, arsenic these subordinate ratings reflect.

Senegal subordinate ratings vs Iraq

GOALKEEPER

Mory Diaw — 5/10

Starting successful spot of the unavailable Edouard Mendy, the Le Havre goalkeeper was hardly tested throughout. He faced 1 anxious infinitesimal erstwhile Krepin Diatta enactment him nether unit with a unsafe back-pass earlier the break, but managed to woody with it adequately.

DEFENDERS

Krepin Diatta — 5/10

Abdoulaye Seck — 6/10

Deployed successful spot of Kalidou Koulibaly, who had struggled severely successful the erstwhile 2 matches, the cardinal defender contributed his tallness and carnal beingness — some successful the build-up to the opener and successful aerial duels — contempt a fewer clumsy interventions, including 1 that earned him a yellowish card.

Moussa Niakhate — 5/10

Ismail Jakobs — 5/10

Senegal unafraid their archetypal triumph of #FIFAWorldCup 2026 ??

MIDFIELDERS

Habib Diarra — 6/10

One of manager Pape Thiaw's changes successful midfield, Diarra brought bully vigor contempt immoderate untidy moments. He is credited with the opening goal.

Idrissa Gueye — 5/10

Lamine Camara — 7/10

The Monaco midfielder delivered the country that led to the opener earlier moving tirelessly to make the accidental for Ismaila Sarr to marque it 2-0. A decisive contribution, adjacent if his wide crippled was much mixed — helium completed lone 80 per cent of his passes.

FORWARDS

Ibrahim Mbaye — 6/10

Called for by the supporters, the PSG academy postgraduate yet earned a starting berth. Repeatedly knocked disconnected the shot successful duels — winning lone 1 of 7 — helium had a hard and disappointing clip connected the pitch. It was past he, however, who became 1 of the main catalysts for Senegal's second-half revival.

Ismaila Sarr — 7/10

Following his brace against Norway, the winger — deployed arsenic a mendacious 9 connected this juncture — again showed his instinct successful beforehand of extremity by tucking distant the 2-0. He past worked tirelessly to adhd the third. Enough to assistance erase the wayward decision-making helium had shown successful the archetypal half.

Sadio Mane — 5/10

Despite plentifulness of effort and commitment, Senegal's talisman again confirmed his struggles astatine this World Cup, astir notably with a botched one-two with Sarr successful the bosom of the Iraqi punishment country midway done the archetypal half. He improved somewhat towards the end, lone to beryllium denied by the post.

SUBSTITUTES

Iliman Ndiaye — 6/10

A affirmative cameo from the Everton winger, who rounded disconnected the scoring with an fantabulous onslaught and contributed to the attacking awakening of his side.

Nicolas Jackson — 6/10

Pape Gueye — 8/10

Surprisingly near connected the seat astatine kick-off, the antheral who scored successful the Africa Cup of Nations last responded successful the champion imaginable mode erstwhile introduced. He struck doubly with 2 magnificent efforts to implicit a brace that allowed Senegal to enactment the effect beyond doubt.

Pathe Ciss — 6/10

Assane Diao — Not rated

Iraq subordinate ratings vs Senegal

GOALKEEPER

Ahmed Basil — 5/10

He battled gamely but injured his enarthrosis erstwhile pushing distant Mane's free-kick aboriginal on. Having played done the symptom for the full archetypal half, the Iraqi goalkeeper was yet forced to concede his spot astatine the interval.

DEFENDERS

Frans Dhia Putros — 5/10

Rebin Sulaka — 2/10

He spent conscionable 13 minutes connected the transportation yet managed to diagnostic successful astir each cardinal infinitesimal — astir each of them negative. While helium does merit recognition for blocking Gueye's effort to triumph a corner, helium was past outjumped by Seck from the resulting delivery. He past missed an interception earlier hauling backmost Mane's garment arsenic the past defender, earning a reddish paper that undermined his broadside from the outset.

Akam Hashem — 5/10

Merchas Doski — 6/10

MIDFIELDERS

Haibrahim Bayesh — 5/10

Exceptionally active, the Iraqi skipper contested nary less than 22 duels and won fractional of them. At times frustrating for the absorption but utterly tireless.

Zidane Iqbal — 4/10

He showcased his method prime connected respective guardant runs but was astatine times excessively ambitious — astir crucially erstwhile helium surrendered possession conscionable extracurricular his ain area, straight starring to the 2-0 extremity and efficaciously ending Iraq's resistance.

Amir Al-Ammari — 5/10

Difficult to get past, helium regularly supported his team-mates successful pressing situations and helped support Mbaye quiet.

Ahmed Qasem — 5/10

FORWARDS

Ali Al-Hamadi — 5/10

Ali Jasim — 5/10

SUBSTITUTES

Manaf Younis — 5/10

Jalal Hassan — 3/10

Thrown connected astatine half-time, the Iraqi goalkeeper conceded 4 goals successful 45 minutes. The tally is harsh fixed that helium was not astatine responsibility for immoderate of Senegal's goals, and helium did nutrient 1 prevention successful stoppage time.

Ahmed Maknzi — 4/10

Ali Yousef Hashem — 4/10

Kevin Yakob — Not rated