Iyunade Grace
Senegal reignited their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a ruthless 5-0 thrashing of 10-man Iraq at Toronto Stadium on Friday, June 26, a result that kept the Lions of Teranga in the hunt for a Round of 32 place. Needing a big win after defeats to France and Norway, Senegal delivered exactly that in a must-win Group I finale, boosting their goal difference to plus-2 and moving onto three points. The victory also made history as the first time an African nation has scored five goals in a single World Cup match. Iraq, meanwhile, bowed out with zero points after three straight losses.
The tone was set almost immediately. In just the fourth minute, Abdoulaye Seck’s header from a Lamine Camara corner was deflected off teammate Habib Diarra and past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil for a 1-0 lead. Senegal’s task got easier nine minutes later when Iraqi defender Rebin Sulaka was sent off after a VAR review for pulling down Sadio Mané as the striker bore down on goal. Down to 10 men from the 13th minute, Iraq were forced to defend deep for the remainder of the game, and Senegal’s numerical advantage proved decisive after halftime.
Despite the red card, Senegal could not add to their lead before the break as Iraq’s defense held firm and Mané was denied by Basil from a free-kick. The floodgates opened in the second half. Ismaïla Sarr doubled the lead in the 56th minute, pouncing after Zidane Iqbal was dispossessed on the edge of his own box and Camara squared for a simple finish. The goal made Sarr Senegal’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with four tournament goals.
Substitute Pape Gueye then turned the match into a rout. Barely three minutes after coming on, he unleashed a thunderous left-footed strike from distance in the 59th minute to make it 3-0, a shot recorded at 84 kph. He added a second in the 71st minute with an even fiercer effort clocked at 103 kph that flew into the top corner. Coach Pape Thiaw praised Gueye’s motivation, saying “he wanted to serve his country and he scored two goals so we must congratulate him.”
Iliman Ndiaye completed the demolition in the 82nd minute, firing a rocket from 30 yards into the top corner to make it 5-0. Senegal’s green-clad supporters began chanting “Senegal! Senegal!” as the clock wound down, and the team ended with a dominant 5-0 scoreline. Goalkeeper Jalal Hassan made several saves to keep the margin from growing further, denying Ndiaye and Gueye late on, but Iraq created almost nothing against a Senegal side that grew in confidence after the interval.
The result leaves Senegal third in Group I behind France and Norway, with their fate now in other teams’ hands. They must wait to see if they finish as one of the eight best third-placed sides when the group stage concludes. “Even though we scored five goals, there are still improvements to be made,” Thiaw said, noting a “difficult” first half but adding that the team now has “peace of mind” after bouncing back from two defeats. Senegal currently hold the fifth-best record among third-place teams.
For Iraq, the dream ended in Toronto. The Lions of Mesopotamia were undone by an early red card and a Senegal side that punished every mistake after halftime. Tens of thousands of Iraqi fans at Fanfest saw their World Cup hopes crushed by a 5-0 defeat that sends them home bottom of the group. Senegal, by contrast, have given themselves a fighting chance of extending their stay, with their goal difference boost and record-setting performance keeping the Lions of Teranga alive in Canada.
