When Ilimand Ndiaye found the net early at Toronto Stadium, Senegal set in motion a performance that would leave Iraq reeling and their own World Cup hopes very much alive. The 5-0 thrashing of ten-man Iraq in Group I wasn't just a victory — it was a statement, and now Senegal wait to see if it will be enough to carry them through to the round of 32 as one of the tournament's top eight third-placed finishers.
The scale of Senegal's dominance makes the result all the more striking. Ndiaye wasn't content with just his opening goal — he turned provider too, setting up teammates with the kind of vision that turns tight matches into routs. Ismaila Sarr matched him stride for stride, contributing a goal and an assist of his own as Iraq's undermanned side struggled to contain wave after wave of Senegalese attack.
Iraq's task was made immeasurably harder when they were reduced to ten men. Playing with a numerical disadvantage for the majority of the match, they simply had no answer to Senegal's relentless pressure. What began as a contest quickly became a masterclass in clinical finishing and tactical discipline.
For Senegal, this result transforms an uncertain campaign into something genuinely hopeful. Group stage survival — let alone progression — had looked far from certain before kickoff. Now, with the group phase concluded and the math being calculated across all groups, they sit waiting on results elsewhere. Five goals scored, none conceded in this match alone, and a squad that has found its rhythm at exactly the right moment.
The question now is whether other results will fall in their favour. The top eight third-placed teams advance, and Senegal's goal difference — boosted enormously by this five-goal margin — could prove decisive when the final calculations are made. It is the kind of cushion that players and fans alike will be watching the scoreboards for across the coming hours.