Senegal vs Iraq: Senegal Make History With 5-0 Rout of Iraq to Keep Knockout Hopes Alive

Senegal became the first African nation to score five goals in a World Cup match, thrashing 10-man Iraq 5-0 in Toronto to keep their Round of 32 hopes alive

Senegal made history on Friday, becoming the first African nation to score five goals in a single World Cup match as they demolished 10-man Iraq 5-0 at Toronto Stadium to keep their knockout round hopes alive.

Habib Diarra opened the scoring early in the fourth minute, redirecting Abdoulaye Seck’s header past the Iraqi goalkeeper from an early corner kick. Iraq’s night imploded in the 13th minute when defender Rebin Sulaka hauled down Sadio Mané. Referee Anthony Taylor upgraded his initial yellow card to a straight red after a VAR review.

Senegal capitalised on the numerical advantage after the break. In the 56th minute, Lamine Camara stripped the ball from Zidane Iqbal and crossed it for Ismaïla Sarr to tap in. Substitute Pape Gueye scored just 89 seconds after entering the pitch with a stunning curled left-footed shot into the top corner. Gueye struck again in the 71st minute, turning a bouncing delivery from Iliman Ndiaye into a thunderous half-volley. Ndiaye sealed the historic win in the 82nd minute by firing a brilliant 30-yard blast into the back of the net.

Senegal dominated possession with 69 percent and registered 30 shots, 12 on target, while Iraq managed six shots, one on target. Senegalese passing accuracy stood at 89 percent compared to Iraq’s 70 percent.

According to a report by Accra Street Journal, the 5-0 triumph set an all-time tournament record as the largest margin of victory by an African nation in World Cup history. The massive goal difference boost catapulted Senegal into a prime position to advance into the Round of 32 as one of the top third-placed teams. If mathematical variables hold, Senegal is slated to play England in the knockout stages on July 1.

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Venue and Kickoff Time

• • Stadium: BMO Toronto Stadium (Toronto, Canada)
  • Kickoff: 19:00 GMT

⚽ Pre-Match Analysis

📋 Predicted Lineups

• • Senegal Starting XI: E. Mendy; Sané, Koulibaly, Diallo, Jakobs; Camara, I. Gueye, P. Sarr; S. Diallo, N. Jackson, Sadio Mané.
  • Iraq Starting XI: Hassan; H. Ali, Natiq, Sulaka, Adnan; Al-Ammari, Rashid; Bayesh, Resan, Jasim; A. Hussein.

📊 Match Facts and Head-to-Head (H2H)

• • H2H Record: This is the first competitive senior football fixture between Senegal and Iraq.
  • Key Fact: Senegal has failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four global tournament matches.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on June 27, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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