Senegal achieved a substantial 5-0 victory over Iraq in their final World Cup Group I match in Toronto, boosting their prospects of advancing to the knockout stages. This win marks the largest by an African nation in a World Cup.
The match saw Pape Gueye score two goals, with Habib Diarra, Ismaila Sarr, and Iliman Ndiaye each contributing one goal. This result positions Senegal favourably to qualify as one of the top eight third-placed teams, currently holding the best goal difference among teams with three points.
Early Advantage and Red Card Incident
Pape Thiaw’s side started strongly, taking the lead within four minutes when Habib Diarra made the final touch on Abdoulaye Seck’s header. This marked Diarra’s first international goal since a friendly against England last year.
Iraq’s challenges escalated shortly after. Defender Rebin Sulaka, who had been included in the starting lineup by coach Graham Arnold, was shown a red card just 13 minutes into the game. English referee Anthony Taylor initially issued a yellow card after Sulaka fouled Sadio Mane outside the box. However, following a VAR review, the card was upgraded to red due to the denial of 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 first 15 minutes of a match.
Despite being a goal and a man down, Iraq brought on Munaf Younus to reinforce their defence. Senegal struggled to significantly test Iraq’s goalkeeper for the remainder of the first half, with only a free-kick from Sadio Mane being pushed away by Basil.
Second Half Surge Secures Dominant Win
The second half saw a more assertive Senegal. Iraq had to replace their goalkeeper Ahmed Basil with Jalal Hassan at halftime due to an injury sustained in the first half. Hassan initially managed to withstand the early pressure.
However, Senegal’s persistence paid off. In the 56th minute, Ismaila Sarr tapped in a goal following a cut-back from Lamine Camara, capitalising on an error by former Manchester United player Zidane Iqbal. This was Sarr’s third goal of the tournament.
Just 89 seconds after his introduction as a substitute, Pape Gueye extended Senegal’s lead in the 59th minute with a curling shot from outside the box that left Hassan with no chance. Gueye then scored his second goal, a powerful half-volley, 12 minutes later. This shot was recorded at a top speed of 132 km per hour.
Sadio Mane nearly added another goal, hitting the bar with a looping effort. Shortly after, Iliman Ndiaye completed the scoring in the 82nd minute with a shot from 20 yards out, further cementing Senegal’s commanding lead. Iraq, having endured a challenging qualification route, concluded their campaign without earning any points.
Implications for the Knockout Stages
The emphatic 5-0 victory significantly improves Senegal’s chances of progressing to the knockout stages. While nothing is definitively confirmed, the result places them in a strong position among the third-placed teams. If they do qualify, Senegal is currently projected to face England in the round of 32. The final standings for the top eight third-placed teams are expected to be determined by Sunday morning in the UK.
This substantial win provides Senegal with momentum as they potentially enter the knockout stages, where a similar attacking intent would be crucial.
Source: skysports.com
