Senegal crushes Iraq 5-0 in one-sided dominance, round of 32 fate still uncertain

Senegal showcased absolute dominance from start to finish in this World Cup Group I fixture, crushing Iraq 5-0. After taking the lead just 4 minutes into the match, the African side kept Iraq pinned under relentless pressure throughout the game. Iraq, reduced to 10 men following a red card in the 13th minute, never managed to find their footing.

The opening goal came in the 4th minute via a precise finish from Habib Diarra, who quickly put Senegal ahead courtesy of an assist from Abdoulaye Seck. Senegal raised the tempo even further in the second half. In the 56th minute, Ismaïla Sarr doubled the advantage after being set up by Lamine Camara.

Just three minutes later, in the 59th minute, Pape Gueye unleashed a stunning strike from outside the box to net the third goal. Gueye struck again in the 71st minute to complete his brace, converting an assist from Iliman Ndiaye. In the closing stages, Ndiaye turned goalscorer in the 82nd minute, firing a brilliant shot into the top corner from a Pape Gueye assist to make it 5-0.

The turning point of the match arrived in the 13th minute when Rebin Sulaka was shown a straight red card following a VAR review for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. From that moment on, the 10-man Iraqi defense completely collapsed.

The statistics vividly paint the picture of Senegal's dominance, with *Les Lions de la Téranga* controlling 69% of the possession and registering 28 shots, 12 of which were on target. Conversely, Iraq managed only 6 shots. Despite making a few crucial saves, the Iraqi goalkeeper could not prevent a heavy defeat for his side.

With the final Group I standings locked in, France finishes at the top with 9 points, followed by Norway in second place with 6 points. In the Round of 32, France will square off against Sweden, while Norway is set to face Ivory Coast. Senegal finishes third with 3 points, keeping their hopes alive to progress to the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams. Iraq exits the tournament with zero points.