Senegal 5-0 Iraq: Lions of Teranga take huge step towards knockouts with historic win
Senegal racked up the goals on 10-man Iraq in a 5-0 victory Friday that boosted its chances of reaching the World Cup knockout stages.
“The job is done, but fate is no longer in our hands,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said. “We have to wait until the other matches are over”
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Senegal’s Pape Gueye (26) celebrates with Idrissa Gana Gueye (5) after scoring their third goal during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Senegal and Iraq in Toronto, Friday, June 26, 2026.
Pape Gueye scored twice in a second-half flurry as the Senegalese — vying to advance from third place in Group I — took advantage of a first-half red card on Iraq defender Rebin Sulaka, who prevented Sadio Mane from going in on goal alone by yanking his shirt
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Senegal supporters cheer during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Senegal and Iraq in Toronto, Friday, June 26, 2026.
Habib Diarra scored in the fourth minute and even though Sulaka was sent off in the 13th, Senegal didn’t find the net again until Ismaila Sarr’s goal in the 56th minute.
Gueye then added his two goals, both hard blasts from around the edge of the penalty area, and Iliman Ndiaye netted Senegal’s fifth.
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Senegal’s Pape Gueye (26) plays during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Senegal and Iraq in Toronto, Friday, June 26, 2026.
Senegal now has three points and a plus-two goal differential. The eight best third-place teams advance to the Round of 32.
Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye (13) kicks the ball to score their fifth goal during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Senegal and Iraq in Toronto, Friday, June 26, 2026.
“We had to score as many goals as possible,” Gueye said. “So there you go.”
Diarra also seemed confident Senegal will be among the teams that move on.
“They gave us problems, but we solved them,” he said. “We played a great match, both collectively and individually. Now, here we are. I can say we’re focused on our next match.
“I want to apologize for our fans, for our (country), these three games,” Iraq defender Merchas Doski said.
Iraq coach Graham Arnold said just qualifying for the tournament was a miracle.
“Hopefully the players will go away from this enjoying the experience of being in the World Cup for the first time in 40 years,” he said, “but also learning from mistakes.”
Senegal, Iraq fans cheer in the streets as Toronto Stadium hosts last World Cup group match
Senegal supporters rally ahead of a group stage match against Iraq at the FIFA World Cup 2026, at Toronto Stadium, on Wednesday afternoon.
Iraqi and Senegalese soccer fans took over the streets of downtown Toronto Friday ahead of the final FIFA World Cup group-stage match being hosted by the city.
Fans packed Toronto Stadium to watch Senegal and Iraq face off Friday afternoon, with both teams clinging to faint hopes of reaching the knockout round. But the party started well before kick-off.
A cloud of green and red smoke hovered above hundreds of Iraqi fans as they marched to the stadium from Stanley Park on Friday morning. Senegalese fans started making their way to the game from Trinity Bellwoods Park at 1 p.m.
Senegal and Iraq get ready to face off in Toronto’s final group stage World Cup match on Friday.
While Senegal has made some mistakes so far, fan Eli Emmanuel Manga is hopeful the team will prove all the doubters wrong today with a victory. He said Senegal is a young team full of talent and hungry for a win.
“We’re going to go as fast as a lion, just waiting for a meal to take home,” he told CBC Radio’s Metro Morning. “I think Senegal is prepared. They’re not just here to participate.”
If Senegal is hungry, then Iraq is ravenous for a win during their first World Cup appearance in 40 years, said fan Joseph Zayouna. He said it’s crazy to have his home country play in Toronto.
“Just to see Iraq play in Canada is unbelievable,” he said, adding he’s expecting thousands of Iraqi Canadians, and even some from overseas, to show up for the march.
The World Cup brings Africa to life in Toronto
Duration2:01Three of Toronto’s five World Cup group-stage matches feature African teams. Local fans and some of Ghana’s soccer stars weigh in on this ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience.
Iraqi fans take over streets of Toronto
Toronto’s streets echoed with chants of “Iraq” and pounding drums as Iraq fans paraded through the city.
Fan Arkan Alobaidi said he travelled from Halifax with his kids and family members to celebrate the game. He’s hopeful that they’ll be able to watch World Cup history with an Iraqi victory.
“After 40 years, we are here now. We are so happy. I hope today for all the people [here] that we get a win,” he said.
Iraqi fans gathered at Stanley Park downtown to march to the stadium before Wednesday’s match. (CBC)
Sed Knori said it’s been amazing to celebrate his home country in the city he loves and now calls home.
“It’s surreal. It just shows you that we’re a melting pot. This is what Canada is all about,” he said, adding that Iraq’s team is playing with heart no matter what the results are.
How Ivory Coast reached World Cup knockouts for first time with win over Curacao
Two goals from Nicolas Pepe ensured Ivory Coast finished Group E as runners-up, with debutants Curacao bottom.
Result: Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast beat Curacao 2-0 to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time.
Nicolas Pepe opened the scoring in the first half after fine work from teenage talent Yan Diomande.
Pepe then made sure of victory midway through the second half.
The win sends Ivory Coast through as Group E runners-up. Ecuador upset Germany in the other match.
FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group E – Curacao v Ivory Coast – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. – June 25, 2026 Ivory Coast’s Nicolas Pepe celebrates scoring their first goal with teammate.
And Morocco is into the knockout stage and it is getting really good for the ten African teams in this year’s Worls Cup
Morocco advances to knockout round after rallying to beat Haiti 4-2
Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine score late in 2nd half to secure win
Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine came off the bench to help Morocco rally for a 4-2 victory over Haiti on Wednesday and erase the Caribbean nation’s hopes of a first ever point at the World Cup.
Morocco, which became the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals four years ago in Qatar, twice came from behind against a team playing on soccer’s biggest stage for the first time in 52 years.
Rahimi’s deflected shot in the 78th minute put Morocco ahead 3-2 and Yassine killed off any chance of an upset with a goal in the 89th.
Morocco advanced to the round of 32 in second place behind Brazil in Group C. The five-time champion Brazilians beat Scotland 3-0 in the other group match.
Morocco, which won the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, has ambitions go deep again this year. But it was given a scare by Haiti, which is 74 places below Morocco in the FIFA rankings.
Lenny Jospeh’s back-heeled flick at the near post beat Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and he became his country’s first scorer at a World Cup since Emmanuel Sanon in 1974, which was Haiti’s only other appearance at the tournament.
Morocco pushed for an equalizer and Achraf Hakimi finally got it in the 39th minute. Haiti keeper Johny Placide managed to get a hand to Bilal El Khannouss’ deflected cross, but couldn’t prevent Hakimi from bundling the ball over the line.
South Africa is in the house for the knockout stage for the first time and it looks very good for the continent. Nobody sacres us anymore. That is a good thing.
South Africa reaches World Cup knockouts for 1st time, stunning South Korea
South Africa will take on Canada, the second-place finisher in Group B, in a knockout game Sunday in Inglewood, California.
Thapelo Maseko of South Africa, No. 12, celebrates with teammates after scoring against South Korea in Guadalupe, Mexico, on Wednesday. Carl Recine
Thapelo Maseko scored in the 63rd minute off a precise cross from Tshepang Moremi, and South Africa finished in second place in Group A behind Mexico, which won all three of its group-stage games.
South Africa will take on Canada, the second-place finisher in Group B, in a knockout game Sunday in Inglewood, California.
Maseko had five total shots in the match and leads South Africa with eight shots in the tournament.
When Maseko was asked what he would tell his younger self about his accomplishment, the Mamelodi Sundowns forward said: “The one thing I would say is ‘keep dreaming.’”
South Africa had opened its World Cup with a 2-0 loss to Mexico before using a late goal to earn a 1-1 draw with Czechia. It entered its final group stage needing to defeat South Korea in order to advance. Bafana Bafana had failed to advance from the group stage in 1998, 2002 and as host in 2010.
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos described the faith he had in his team despite the difficult start to the tournament.
“The mentality in this group is amazing,” Broos said. “Everybody is working for everybody. We are not afraid of other teams.”
Sphephelo Sithole, who received a red card in the opening game against Mexico, also earned a start and helped South Africa keep a clean sheet.
“In the first two, three days, it wasn’t easy,” Sithole said. “I needed to pick myself up. I’m very proud of myself because I did.”
Maseko, who plays for South African club Mamelodi Sundowns, missed two big chances early in the match before scoring the winner.
The 22-year-old received the ball from a cross on the right side of the box — cut inside — and struck the ball low with his left foot through a defender’s legs and into the bottom corner.
South Africa’s bench players ran across the sideline to celebrate with Maseko for his first World Cup goal.
When the final whistle was blown, the bench stormed the field and the players embraced each other.
Today Cape Verde took Africa teams at the World Cup to a new level making it to the knockout stage without losing a single game for a country that nobody in the world cup ever heard about. Africa Please.
Cape Verde draw with Saudi Arabia, reach round of 32 from Group H
Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia are playing in Houston with hopes of reaching the round of 32.
Result: Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia
Cape Verde have earned a spot in the round of 32 with a scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia in Houston.
It was the third draw for Cape Verde in Group H after a 2-2 draw against Uruguay and a scoreless draw against Spain. The country is making its World Cup debut this year.
It is pretty nice for the people of Cape Verde that their barely visible country in the Africa Map is now at the frontline for the World Cup for the first time they got there.
Africa is walking very proud in the 2026 World Cup thanks to the countries doing their best and the great football players that Africa has and there so many young ones coiming up.
Thanks, Cape Verde, for inspiring that next generation of African football players. They are coming for it.
Adongo Ogony is a Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada
