Senegal thrash Iraq 5-0 to revive World Cup 2026 last-32 hopes — but fate remains in others' hands

Senegal registered their archetypal points astatine World Cup 2026 with a commanding 5-0 triumph implicit Iraq successful Toronto connected Friday evening, keeping their qualification hopes live arsenic they await the result of the 5 remaining radical signifier fixtures.

Following defeats to France (1-3) and Norway (2-3), the Lions clung to their hopes of progressing by producing a ascendant show against Iraq, repositioning themselves favourably successful the champion third-placed teams standings up of the results that volition yet determine their fate.

Senegal 5-0 Iraq: what happened?

With their backs against the wall, Senegal needed conscionable 4 minutes to interruption the deadlock done Habib Diarra, who tapped location from adjacent scope aft Abdoulaye Seck met a country with a header. Both players had been handed starting berths by manager Pape Thiaw, and some justified his religion immediately. Minutes later, Iraq suffered a further stroke erstwhile Sulaka was dismissed pursuing a VAR reappraisal for hauling backmost Mane arsenic helium bore down connected goal.

Paradoxically, erstwhile successful numerical superiority, Senegal mislaid their mode and fell into sterile, purposeless possession play lacking successful question and clarity. Although somewhat outplayed and abbreviated of existent menace, Iraq showed commendable tone by continuing to play, lone to endure yet different misfortune erstwhile goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, who had been carrying a enarthrosis occupation from aboriginal on, was forced disconnected astatine half-time.

Senegal unafraid their archetypal triumph of #FIFAWorldCup 2026 ??

His replacement, Jalal Hassan, was instantly subjected to a Senegalese onslaught. Ismaila Sarr doubled the pb aft Zidane Iqbal surrendered possession connected the borderline of the area. Energised by their substitutes, Pape Thiaw's broadside were wholly transformed, applying relentless unit successful beforehand of the Iraqi goal. Pape Gueye past struck doubly successful accelerated succession with the ferocious long-range efforts that person go his trademark, extending the pb to 4-0. Although a station denied Mane, Iliman Ndiaye rounded disconnected the rout with different almighty strike.

Senegal 5-0 Iraq — the cardinal point: Iraq were their ain worst enemies

As successful their matches against Norway (1-4) and France (0-3), Iraq remained committed to their passing philosophy. With talented shot players specified arsenic Iqbal and Merchas Doski successful their ranks, the Lions of Mesopotamia produced immoderate promising sequences successful the archetypal half. However, idiosyncratic errors proved their undoing — Sulaka's reddish paper and Iqbal's nonaccomplishment of possession for the 2nd extremity were some avoidable, self-inflicted wounds. Fatigue past acceptable in, and Graham Arnold's broadside were swept speech successful the last half-hour by the Senegalese tide.

What happens next: Senegal inactive waiting

The 5-0 triumph earns Senegal their archetypal 3 points of the tourney and lifts their extremity quality to +2, capable to leapfrog South Korea (three points, -1) and Scotland (three points, -2) successful the champion third-placed teams standings. However, they volition request astatine slightest 2 much sides to decorativeness beneath them to unafraid a spot successful the past 32. Everything present hinges connected the results of the 5 remaining groups.