Senegal became the first African nation to score five goals in a World Cup match, brushing aside 10-man Iraq to revive their knockout hopes.
Senegal breathed life into their World Cup campaign on Friday, dismantling a depleted Iraq 5-0 to etch their name into the tournament’s history books. The resounding victory makes the Lions of Teranga the first African nation ever to score five goals in a single World Cup fixture, critically resetting their goal difference in the scramble for the round of 32.
Needing a commanding win after successive Group I defeats to France and Norway, Senegal wasted no time. Just four minutes in, Habib Diarra directed Abdoulaye Seck’s header past Ahmed Basil to set an assertive tone.
Iraq’s evening quickly unraveled. In the 13th minute, defender Rebin Sulaka received the earliest red card of the tournament so far, upgraded by referee Anthony Taylor after a VAR review for a last-man challenge on Sadio Mané. To compound Iraq’s misery, Basil sustained an injury while denying Mané’s subsequent free-kick, forcing a halftime goalkeeper switch to Jalal Hassan.
While Iraq initially resisted with ten men, the floodgates opened after the interval. Ismaila Sarr capitalized on a glaring defensive error from Zidane Iqbal in the 56th minute to double the lead.
Then came a definitive cameo from Pape Gueye. Within two minutes of stepping off the bench, the Villarreal midfielder unleashed a spectacular curling effort into the top corner. Gueye added his second 12 minutes later with a ferocious half-volley, punishing a demoralized Iraqi backline.
Iliman Ndiaye put the exclamation point on a historic night in the 82nd minute, weaving through the defense to fire home Senegal’s fifth.
The result leaves Iraq eliminated without a point, while Senegal sit comfortably at the top of the third-place rankings, awaiting mathematical confirmation of their progression.