Senegal kept their World Cup campaign alive with a dominant 5-0 win over 10-man Iraq, sealing a first victory in Group I and rewriting several national and African records. Goals from Habib Diarra, Ismaila Sarr, Pape Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye left knockout qualification still realistically within reach.
The result lifted Senegal up the standings for the best third-placed teams, where they currently occupy fifth position. If that ranking holds when the group phase finishes, Pape Thiaw’s side will face England in Atlanta on 1 July, setting up a repeat of their World Cup meeting in 2022.
This 5-0 victory marked the first occasion an African team has scored five times in a World Cup match, underlining the scale of Senegal’s display against Iraq. Crucially,
it arrived after defeats to France and Norway had already closed the door on a top-two finish in Group I.
Despite that early setback in the group, Senegal still entered the Iraq game knowing progression remained possible through the third-placed route. Thiaw’s players responded with what was arguably their most controlled performance of the tournament, keeping Iraq to limited chances while constantly threatening at the other end.
The match opened at a high tempo, with Senegal finding a breakthrough after only four minutes. Idrissa Gueye’s deflected attempt won a corner, from which Abdoulaye Seck’s header was diverted in from close range by Diarra, leaving Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil helpless as the ball crossed the line.
Iraq’s task became much harder nine minutes later when Rebin Sulaka was sent off for pulling back Sadio Mane and denying a clear scoring chance. Mane then saw the resulting free-kick pushed behind by Basil and later drove a shot over the bar in first-half stoppage time as Senegal failed to extend the lead.
Senegal World Cup surge after half-time
Senegal increased the intensity straight after the interval and quickly turned control into goals. In the 56th minute, Lamine Camara dispossessed Zidane Iqbal and surged into the area before laying the ball across for Sarr, who finished calmly to double the advantage against the tiring 10-player Iraq side.
Substitute Pape Gueye transformed the scoreline soon after arriving. Just one minute and 29 seconds after replacing Diarra, Gueye cut inside and whipped a powerful left-footed strike into the top-left corner. The midfielder then struck again on 71 minutes, driving another fierce shot past replacement goalkeeper Jalal Hassan from outside the box.
Ndiaye completed the scoring eight minutes from time with another impressive effort. Collecting the ball near the edge of the penalty area, Ndiaye drilled a low shot inside the near post, giving Hassan no chance and sealing Senegal’s largest World Cup victory while also boosting goal difference in the race for qualification.
Senegal secure their first win of #FIFAWorldCup 2026FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 26, 2026
Senegal World Cup stars Sarr, Gueye and Ndiaye set records
Sarr’s strike means the forward now leads Senegal’s all-time World Cup scoring chart with four goals. Sarr also has five direct goal involvements at the tournament, with four goals and one assist, the highest tally for any Senegal player on this stage.
Sarr became the first Senegal player to both score and assist in a single World Cup match. That achievement did not stand alone for long, as both Gueye and Ndiaye also recorded a goal and an assist in the same game, underlining how many attacking players influenced the result.
Gueye started Senegal’s first two group fixtures but dropped to the bench against Iraq. The midfielder responded emphatically, becoming the first Senegal player to score at least twice as a substitute in a World Cup match, and strengthening the case for a recall to the starting line-up for the next round.
Ndiaye again demonstrated impact from the bench. There have now been four cases of a Senegal substitute providing an assist at the World Cup, with three supplied by the Everton midfielder. Those three substitute assists are the joint-most in tournament history, matching the record held by Cesc Fabregas.
Senegal World Cup dominance reflected in statistics
The data underlined how superior Senegal were over the 90 minutes. Senegal produced 28 attempts and an expected goals figure of 3.03, while Iraq managed only six efforts with an xG of 0.18, showing how few clear openings Thiaw’s players allowed throughout the contest.
| Team | Goals | Shots | Expected goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senegal | 5 | 28 | 3.03 |
| Iraq | 0 | 6 | 0.18 |
Senegal’s convincing win over Iraq therefore combined historical significance, individual milestones and clear tactical control. With a possible last-16 meeting against England scheduled for 1 July in Atlanta if their third-placed ranking holds, Thiaw’s squad will travel into the knockout phase with renewed belief after this five-goal display.
