Toronto: Senegal secures 5-0 victory over Iraq, boosting World Cup hopes

By Arjun Nair / 27.06.2026

By Arjun Nair — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

Senegal achieved a significant 5-0 victory over 10-man Iraq in their final Group I match, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the World Cup last-32. This emphatic win, which took place in Toronto, marked a crucial turnaround for the Lions of Teranga following previous defeats.

The match saw Senegal become the first African nation to score five goals in a men’s World Cup fixture. The result also significantly improved their goal difference, positioning them among the best third-placed teams vying for advancement to the knockout rounds.

Early Advantage and Red Card Incident

Senegal started strong, with Habib Diarra opening the scoring in the fourth minute. The early goal set the tone for the match, giving Senegal an immediate advantage.

Iraq’s challenge became considerably harder when defender Rebin Sulaka received a straight red card in the 13th minute. The incident occurred after Sulaka pulled back Sadio Mané, who was dribbling towards goal. Initially, the referee, Anthony Taylor, showed a yellow card, but after consulting the video monitor, the decision was upgraded to a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. This was the ninth red card of the tournament.

Despite playing with 10 men for over 75 minutes, Iraq managed to hold off Senegal for the remainder of the first half, frustrating their attempts to extend the lead.

Second-Half Onslaught Secures Victory

The second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum, with Senegal unleashing a relentless attack. Ismaïla Sarr doubled the lead in the 56th minute, scoring his fourth World Cup goal and becoming Senegal’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament. Sarr also became the first Senegal player to achieve both a goal and an assist in the same World Cup match.

Substitute Pape Gueye made a significant impact after coming on, scoring two sensational long-range goals. His first came just before the hour mark, curling a left-footed strike into the top corner. He followed this with a thunderous half-volley in the 71st minute. Gueye’s brace made him the first Senegal player to score at least two goals as a substitute in a World Cup match.

Iliman Ndiaye sealed the 5-0 rout with another long-range effort in the 82nd minute. Remarkably, Sarr, Gueye, and Ndiaye all finished the match with both a goal and an assist, a feat not seen since Germany’s 7-1 victory over Brazil in the 2014 semi-final.

Looking Ahead for Senegal

The comprehensive victory lifted Senegal to third place in Group I, behind France and Norway. Their improved goal difference of +2 places them provisionally as the fifth-best third-placed side. However, their advancement to the Round of 32 depends on the outcomes of the remaining group-stage fixtures, with four teams below them yet to play their final matches.

This result meant Iraq was eliminated from their second World Cup, their first since 1986. Senegal’s performance has breathed new life into their World Cup campaign, and they now await the conclusion of other matches to determine their fate.

The team’s ability to respond decisively after their initial group stage challenges has been noted, and they have done all they can to keep their dream of reaching the knockout rounds alive.

Source: theguardian.com