Senegal ended their World Cup group stage with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Iraq at BMO Field in Toronto, a result that flattered neither side in terms of what it changed. Both teams were already out of contention for the knockout rounds, but Senegal at least signed off with a performance of genuine quality, particularly after the interval.
The match's decisive context was established inside thirteen minutes, when Iraq's Rebin Sulaka was shown a straight red card. From that moment, this was less a contest than a prolonged examination of how many Senegal could score against ten men. The answer, eventually, was five.
Habib Diarra had already given Senegal the lead before any of that, converting in the fourth minute with an assist from Abdoulaye Seck. It was a sharp, early statement of intent, and the early red card ought to have made the evening a procession. For a long stretch, it did not. Iraq, to their credit, absorbed pressure and kept Senegal to a single goal through the first half, goalkeeper Ahmed Basil making saves to keep the deficit manageable. Senegal's 69 per cent possession and 12 corners over the full 95 minutes tell the story of territorial dominance without ruthlessness, at least until the second half arrived.
The dam broke eleven minutes after the restart. Ismaïla Sarr, fed by a Lamine Camara assist, made it 2-0 on 56 minutes. Then, three minutes later, substitute Pape Gueye headed or forced home his first, with Sarr turning provider. Senegal had scored twice in three minutes and the match was settled.
Gueye, coming off the bench with the game still nominally alive, proceeded to make it entirely his own. His second goal on 71 minutes, assisted this time by Iliman Ndiaye, took the score to four, and then Ndiaye completed the exchange of favours by scoring himself on 82 minutes, with Gueye returning the assist. Two substitutes, combining for three goals and two assists between them in the second half. For Gueye in particular, two goals and an assist from the bench in a World Cup group game is the kind of evening that demands a recall next time.
The broader picture is one of a Senegal side with real attacking depth. The front three of Ibrahim Mbaye, Sarr and Sadio Mané worked industriously in the first half without cutting Iraq apart, but the introductions of Gueye, Ndiaye and Nicolas Jackson in the second half transformed the threat. Idrissa Gana Gueye was the engine in midfield throughout, his passing range and defensive positioning making him the most complete performer on the pitch across the full 95 minutes. Camara, before his substitution on 57 minutes, had been equally effective, picking out runners and maintaining Senegal's tempo.
For Iraq, there were few positives beyond the defiance they showed in the first half. Ten men against a side of Senegal's quality, conceding only once until the 56th minute, suggests organisation under Graham Arnold. But the second-half collapse was total. They registered just one shot on target across the entire match, and their 70 per cent pass accuracy tells its own story about the pressure they were under. Zidane Iqbal worked hard before his 67th-minute substitution, and Amir Al-Ammari covered ground throughout, but their attacking outlet Ali Al-Hamadi had almost no service to feed on.
In the final group standings, Senegal finish third with three points and eight goals scored. It is not enough for progression, France having topped Group I with a perfect nine points, and Norway taking second. But this victory, and this manner of victory, will be cold comfort all the same. A 5-0 win restores some pride and suggests the squad has more to offer than the earlier group results allowed.