Toronto: Senegal secures crucial 5-0 victory over Iraq in World Cup

By Rohan Gupta — 26 June 2026 — 3 min read

Senegal’s decisive victory

Senegal achieved a significant 5-0 victory over 10-man Iraq on Friday, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages. This emphatic win also marked a historic moment, as Senegal became the first African nation to score five goals in a men’s World Cup match. The result ended Iraq‘s chances of progressing beyond the group stage.

The West African side entered the match needing a convincing win to have a realistic opportunity of extending their campaign. They delivered their largest-ever World Cup victory in decisive fashion, with goals from multiple players contributing to the rout in Toronto.

Early advantage and red card incident

Senegal had an ideal start, taking the lead within four minutes. A corner from Lamine Camara was headed towards goal by Abdoulaye Seck, with the ball deflecting off teammate Habib Diarra before finding the net past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. This early breakthrough set the tone for Senegal.

Iraq‘s challenge became considerably harder just minutes later. Defender Rebin Sulaka was shown a straight red card after a VAR review. The incident occurred when Sulaka pulled down Sadio Mane on the edge of the penalty area as the Senegal captain was advancing towards goal. Referee Anthony Taylor‘s decision meant Iraq had to play more than 75 minutes of the match with only 10 men.

Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, Iraq maintained a defensive effort for the remainder of the first half, managing to frustrate Senegal despite the African team controlling much of the possession.

Second-half surge and historic goals

The second half saw a complete shift in momentum, with Senegal dominating the play. Ismaila Sarr doubled Senegal‘s lead in the 56th minute, scoring from close range. This goal was his fourth in the World Cup, making him 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 then made a significant impact, scoring two long-range goals within minutes of each other, effectively putting the game out of reach for Iraq. Gueye‘s brace made him the first Senegal player to score at least two goals as a substitute in a World Cup game. His performance could strengthen his case for a starting position in future knockout rounds, should Senegal advance.

Iliman Ndiaye sealed the performance with another impressive long-range strike, ensuring a total of five different goal scorers for Senegal. Notably, Sarr, Gueye, and Ndiaye each finished the match with both a goal and an assist. This marked the first time three players from the same team achieved this feat in a World Cup match since Germany‘s victory over Brazil in the 2014 semi-final.

The five-goal performance was not only a significant win but also a record-breaking achievement for Senegal, as they became the first African nation to score five goals in a men’s FIFA World Cup match. This victory substantially improved their goal difference, moving them into a provisional qualification spot among the best third-placed teams.

The win lifted Senegal to third place in Group I, behind France and Norway. Aliou Cisse‘s team must now await the outcomes of the remaining group-stage fixtures to determine if their goal difference is sufficient to secure one of the eight best third-placed spots for the Round of 32. The remaining group-stage fixtures are scheduled to conclude on Saturday.

Source: thehindu.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter