Senegal Crush Iraq 5-0 to Secure First World Cup Points

Senegal claimed a dominant 5-0 win over Iraq in their final Group I match on Sunday, earning their first points of the tournament. The victory is historic as Senegal became the first African national team to score at least five goals in a single World Cup match.

The game started perfectly for the Senegalese, with Habib Diara scoring in the 4th minute after a corner kick: Abdoulaye Seck headed the ball into the box, and Diara helped it into the net. Iraq's troubles deepened in the 13th minute when Rebin Sulaka received a red card after a VAR review for a last-man foul on Sadio Mane, leaving his team a man down. Senegal controlled the remainder of the first half but could only manage a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Senegal's attack became unstoppable in the second half. Ismaila Sarr made it 2-0 in the 56th minute from Lamine Camara's assist. Three minutes later, substitute Pape Gueye scored a stunning long-range effort for 3-0. Gueye added his second in the 71st minute, assisted by Iliman Ndiaye, and Ndiaye himself finished the scoring in the 82nd minute with a beautiful strike from the edge of the box.

While the win significantly boosts Senegal's chances of advancing to the knockout stage, their fate still depends on results from other groups. Iraq, on the other hand, end the tournament with zero points after three straight losses. In Group I, France leads with 9 points, followed by Norway with 6, Senegal with 3, and Iraq with 0.