Senegal End Group I with Iraq Win; Now They Must Hope and Pray

– Senegal’s victory over Iraq kept their FIFA World Cup dream alive, but only just. The Teranga Lions did everything within their control on Friday evening; now, they must wait, hope and pray that results elsewhere are kind enough to carry them into the knockout rounds as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams. A piece of history as well: their 5-0 victory is the widest margin an African team has recorded in the World Cup.

Senegal got the job done this Friday with a vintage second-half display that saw them run away with a commanding victory over Group I’s whipping boys, Iraq. Yet despite finally finding the ruthlessness that had escaped them in narrow defeats to France and Norway, the Lions of Teranga’s fate no longer rests in their own hands.

After opening their campaign with painful 3-1 and 3-2 defeats to France and Norway respectively, Pape Thiaw’s side entered their final group game knowing that victory alone would not guarantee passage to the Round of 32. What they could control, however, was the margin of that victory — and they approached the task with the urgency of a team aware that every goal might prove decisive.

The opening goal came as early as the fourth minute courtesy of Habib Diarra, immediately settling Senegalian nerves and setting the tone for what would become a one-sided affair. Senegal’s opportunity to significantly improve their goal difference arrived just nine minutes later when Iraq defender Rebin Sulaka was shown a straight red card in the 13th minute, reducing the Asian side to ten men for more than three quarters of the contest.

Despite their numerical advantage, the 2002 quarter-finalists were unable to fully capitalize before the interval. But after the restart, Senegal produced the kind of attacking display that had been largely absent in their opening two matches.

Ismaïla Sarr doubled the advantage in the 56th minute before Pape Sarr took center stage with a quick-fire brace in the 59th and 71st minutes. Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye then came off the bench to join the party in the 82nd minute, putting the finishing touches on a convincing victory that transformed Senegal’s goal difference and, with it, their hopes of progression.

The final scoreline leaves Senegal third in Group I with three points, behind group winners France and runners-up Norway. More importantly, however, the emphatic win significantly strengthens their credentials in the race to finish among the eight best third-placed teams that will advance to the expanded World Cup’s Round of 32.

As things stand, Senegal’s haul compares favorably with several already confirmed third-placed teams. Their superior goal difference places them ahead of South Korea and Scotland, while uncertainty remains in Groups G, H, J, K and L, where several third-placed teams could still finish with fewer points or an inferior goal difference.

For now, the Lions of Teranga have done everything asked of them. Their World Cup journey, which seemed all but over after back-to-back defeats against France and Norway, has been given one final lifeline through a devastating display against Iraq. Now comes the hardest part: waiting, hoping and praying that somewhere across North America, enough results fall Senegal’s way.