Senegal 5-0 Iraq - 2026 World Cup Match Report and Player Ratings
Sensational Gueye Inspires Senegal Within Reach of Knockouts
An inspired second half display from Senegal gave them the best chance possible of making the last 32, following their stunning 5-0 thrashing of Iraq in Toronto.
After both sides lost each of their two opening games against fellow Group I opponents Norway and France, a win was a must, preferably by a few goals too, if they were to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
An early Habib Diarra deflection was added to in a brilliant second half with Ismaila Sarr adding a second before the hour. Pape Gueye made an instant statement with two breathtaking strikes befoee Iliman Ndiaye added a fifth late on as Iraq are sent home empty handed from their first World Cup in 40 years.
You do not save those 😲
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 26, 2026
Pape Gueye puts his laces through the ball to emphatically grab his second of the game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OFccExhgjV
Senegal 5-0 Iraq: As It Happened
After losing 3-1 and 3-2 in their first two games, Senegal headed to Toronto knowing that they had to probably win by at least three goals to give themselves the best chance possible to get into the top eight best third-placed sides.
Starting on the front foot, their early pressure provided the opening goal. Inside just four minutes, Idrissa Gueye had an effort from outside the box to give them a corner; a brilliant cross from Abdoulaye Seck saw Habib Diarra rose highest to head the ball into the right side en route to the back of Iraq's goal for the eighth time this tournament.
Things quickly worsened for the intercontinental playoff qualifiers, when Rebin Sulaka was shown a red card by Anthony Taylor for a shirt pull on Sadio Mane. The Bayern forward received the ball from a throw-in and looked to turn Iraq's number two, but was brought down and after a VAR check, the initial yellow card was upgraded to help Senegal's cause.
Despite the early moments of depression which hit the Iraq camp, they had nothing to lose and tried to respond in suit shortly after. Ali Al Hamadi was brought down by Seck when running through on goal, but it was adjudged by Taylor that it was not quite a goalscoring opportunity - this time, he was backed by VAR.
There a couple more chances to come in the first half, and after the hydration break the game really began to open up. Iraq were able to craft multiple shot attempts through the likes Merchas Doski and Ali Jasim, but their efforts were only ever good enough to reach the first line of defence, as Mory Diaw remained largely untested.
Iraq goalkeeper, however, Ahmed Fadhil was very much in the wars throughout the opening period, first overextending his arm on a Mane free-kick, before having a bad fall when going up to claim a ball against Moussa Diakhate and Diarra.
With 20 minutes to go Gueye continued to wreak havoc on Iraq, receiving a ball from Ismail Jakobs on the edge of the box and to absolutely sledgehammer a ferocious effort in for a fourth.
The Iraqi penalty area turned into a shooting range as the game progressed, with Gueye and Krepin Diatta having a go before Mane almost looped in an audacious lifted effort into the far post.
Half-Time Score: Senegal 1-0 Iraq
The second half eventually got underway after a short delay because of Iraq's seond-choice 'keeper Jalal Hassan struggles to put on his gloves - for Senegal, they would hope to see the 35-year-old's struggles continue.
Senegal's pressure continued, but Iraq were holding them back very well. Firstly, it was Akram Hashem who won a crucial one-on-one against 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye, before Mane ran onto his well-timed cross soon after but couldn't find the target.
It didn't take long for Hassan to be forced into a top save either, getting down well to deny Ismaila Sarr, who would've been disappointed to not do better. But Senegal eventually got what they were looking, and the pressure caused a massive mistake from Iraq's Zidane Iqbal. Lamine Camara pounced on his indecision and played across a simple yet important ball for Sarr to double their lead.
Pape Thiaw looked to his bench immediately after to bring on fresh and dangerous legs, and they immediately delivered. Sarr hunted down Hashem in the far corner before laying it off to Pape Gueye to supply a sensational left-footed strike just 89 seconds after coming on.
Iliman Ndiaye joined in on the fun before the close, smashing yet another strike from around the edge of the box to send it whistling past Hassan in net.
The 5-0 win sees Senegal leap up to third in Group I on three points and a positive three goal difference, which they will hope is enough to see them progress.
Full-Time Score: Senegal 5-0 Iraq
Senegal Player Ratings
Senegal have made five changes to their lineup, including Ibrahim Mbaye (18y 153d), who becomes the youngest Senegalese player to start a World Cup match.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 26, 2026
Iraq make four changes, with Ali Al Hamadi starting up front for Graham Arnold's side. pic.twitter.com/nP0gEukNZt
- Mory Diaw - 6
- Ismail Jakobs - 7
- Moussa Niakhate - 6
- Abdoulaye Seck - 8
- Krepin Diatta - 7
- Lamine Camara - 8
- Habib Diarra - 8
- Idrissa Gana Gueye - 7
- Sadio Mane - 7
- Ismaila Sarr - 9
- Ibrahim Mbaye - 6
Substitutes:
- Iliman Ndiaye (58')- 8
- Pape Gueye (58')- 10
- Nicolas Jackson (58') - 6
- Pathe Ciss (58') - 6
- Assane Diao (80') - 6
Iraq Player Ratings
- Ahmed Fadhil - 7
- Merchas Doski - 5
- Akam Hashem - 4
- Rebin Sulaka - 2
- Frans Putros - 5
- Amir Al-Ammari - 4
- Ibrahim Bayesh - 6
- Zidane Iqbal - 5
- Ali Jasim - 6
- Ali Al Hamadi - 6
- Ahmed Qasem - 6
Substitutes:
- Manaf Younis (16') - 6
- Jalal Hassan (HT) - 4
- Ahmed Maknzi (57') - 6
- Ali Yousif (57') - 6
- Kevin Yakob (67') - 6
Player of the Match - Pape Gueye
Maybe Senegal were just biding their time in the first half, as the subs certainly ramped up the pressure on Iraq in the second.
Gueye was at the forefront of this, netting two utterly eye-catching strikes. He came into the game having only scored six for his nation, and he created multiple chances to net a third in that game.
Four points would always be enough for them to progress, but three was dangerous - thanks to a superb cameo off the bench for their number 26, a positive goal difference should see Senegal sneak through.
Bad Day at the Office - Rebin Sulaka
Things go from bad to worse for Iraq as Rebin Sulaka denies a clear goalscoring opportunity and is dismissed 🟥 pic.twitter.com/pnyKoigcr0
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 26, 2026
Probably the easiest choice we've ever had.
There isn't really much to say about Rebin Sulaka's performance, and that is partly because he wasn't even on the pitch for 15 minutes.
It was poor challenge and a rash decision to pull Mane's shirt when he was through on goal, near enough completely ruining any possible chance his nation had of pulling off a remarkable story to qualify.
There were plenty of names from Iraq who foiled tremendously today under the pressure, but Sulaka was the worst pick of a poor bunch
Harry Pascoe 
Jake Brown 
