Senegal 5, Iraq 0: Pape Gueye Brace Sinks Eliminated Iraq

Senegal closed out the Group I stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 5-0 win over Iraq in Toronto, scoring four times in the second half to record their first points of the tournament and eliminate Iraq from contention.

Habib Diarra opened the scoring just over three minutes in, the earliest goal in Senegal’s World Cup history, before substitute Pape Gueye scored twice within 12 minutes of entering the match to put the result beyond doubt.

Diarra Strikes Early As Sulaka Sees Red

Senegal took the lead in the third minute when Abdoulaye Seck’s header deflected off Diarra and into the net from a corner. Iraq’s afternoon worsened in the 13th minute when defender Rebin Sulaka was sent off after a VAR review upgraded an initial yellow card to a red for bringing down Sadio Mane, who was running through on goal.

Iraq played the remainder of the match with 10 men but limited Senegal to a single goal before the break. Senegal held a 1-0 lead at half-time, with both sides aware that goal difference could matter heavily in deciding which third-placed teams advance to the knockout rounds.

Substitute Pape Gueye Sparks Second-Half Rout

Senegal pulled away after the interval. Ismaila Sarr made it 2-0 in the 56th minute after Lamine Camara intercepted a loose pass and set him up from close range. Two minutes later, substitute Pape Gueye curled in his first touch of consequence from distance to extend the lead to 3-0, just 89 seconds after replacing Diarra.

Gueye struck again in the 70th minute, this time finishing off a knockdown from fellow substitute Iliman Ndiaye, before turning provider himself in the 82nd minute as Ndiaye drilled a fifth goal from the edge of the area. Senegal finished with 22 shots to Iraq’s six, while goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, who replaced an injured Ahmed Basil at half-time, made several saves to prevent an even heavier defeat.

The five-goal haul marked the first time an African nation has scored five goals in a single World Cup match, and Gueye became only the third Senegalese substitute to score at the tournament.

Senegal Keep Round of 32 Hopes Alive, Iraq Eliminated

The win lifts Senegal to third in Group I with just three points, though their vastly superior goal difference leaves them with a chance of advancing as one of the tournament’s better third-placed teams. Iraq, which also lost its opening two group matches against France and Norway, has been eliminated and finished the group stage without a point.

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