1 hour ago
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Key events
Looks like Jonathan will need to update this piece:
All the big names occupy the top spots here, but scroll down a touch and you’ll see a couple of Senegalese faces:
While we wait for our report to land, here’s Barney who got to see a game that had plenty of goals, but seemed to lack a bit of real world jeopardy.
Whoever faces England in the next round won’t have to deal with Reece James.
The right back has been ruled out for at least two games:
France top the group with a perfect record.
I always love a group that has teams finish on 9, 6, 3 and 0 points respectively.
John makes mention of the disgrace if Dijon:
“Senegal are looking good now that they have 3 points & a positive goal difference. It means that Iran or even Cape Verde (it’ll Uruguay manage to beat Spain) will have a better record than them with 3 draws. The interesting one for me now is Algeria v Austria. Algeria could knock Austria out by defeating them now I think. You would be tempted to agree to a draw and then push for a winner with 5 mins to go as revenge for 82 and the “disgrace of Gijón”
Wouldn’t you know it, football has once again served up a tantalising narrative:
Justin Kavanagh sums it up:
I know it’s not Algeria, but the African team’s goals and their significance to Scottish hopes made me think of that line by Albert Camus from The Stranger: “It was like four sharp knocks on the door of unhappiness.”
Ooh, see who’s at that door, the noo, Stevie…
According to Opta, Senegal’s chances of progressing to the last 32 has shot up to 94.27%.
And their most likely opponent? England!
Bad news for Scotland I’m afraid. They’re out of the top 8, slipping down to 9th behind South Korea and Algeria.
In fact, Scotland’s chances of staying in the competition is down to 1.36%.
Full-time! Senegal 5-0 Iraq
Senegal must now wait.
They have more than likely done enough with a commanding performance that got better as it went on.
90+5 min: Senegal’s fans are urging the players to find the net one more time. I Ndiaye almost does, but for the swift intervention low down by the diving Hassan. That’s his sixth save in the second half. This could have been double digits!
90+4 min: Seems as if both teams have made a gentleman’s agreement to see this to the close. Senegal launch a half hearted attack down the left that comes to nothing. Iraq are counting the seconds.
90+2 min: Should have been six! Jackson is totally unmarked and heads the free-kick straight at the keeper. There was an angle, and the ball didn’t have a great deal of pace, but you’d think he would have done better. P Gueye shoots from distance but Hassan smothers it safely.
90 min: Doski, who has played well on Iraq’s left, gets booked for dragging back his man. Six minutes to come after this free-kick for Senegal on the right.
89 min: Iraq have a chance to counter. Can they? No. They recycle around halfway and then lose the ball. In South Africa we’d say that they are moeg!
87 min: P Gueye had an opportunity to shoot again from outside the box but this time chose to play in Mane. The slight hesitation allows the defence to come and cover the shot that eventually comes.
85 min: Iraq’s defenders are running on fumes. Senegal’s players are having no problem running around them or through them. Mane is involved in a one-two and wins a corner down the left. Senegal can’t do anything with it but they’re back on the ball soon enough.
85 min: That is the first time an African side has scored five goals in a World Cup match.
GOAL! Senegal 5-0 Iraq (I Ndiaye, 83)
Another banger! Wow! After such a dreary first half, Senegal have sparkled in the second. Ndiaye picks the ball up on the right and drives before looking up. He figures why not and puts his laces through it from about 30 yards on the angle. It hits the net before Hassan can get an arm up.
80 min: Hassan makes a save from a close range header that is straight at him. He’s forced into a more difficult one as Jackson rifles a shot from the edge of the area. It was headed for the corner but was at a comfortable height and was turned away.
78 min: Iraq are hanging on. They manage to win the ball back in their own third but their attempt to break upfield comes to nothing. They just don’t have the legs and they’re easily picked off by men in white who are now moving like a pack of wolves with the scent of blood on the wind.
77 min: Jackson can’t get a shot away from inside the box as he controls and pivots. He got the ball from Mane who first tried to shift onto his right foot from the left, but then went down to the byline before crossing.
75 min: Mane hits the post! I’m not sure he meant to dink it like that. If he did then fair play because that was lovely to see. As he tumbles he gets enough boot on the shot from the left and watches it loop over the keeper and hit the woodwork, but of post, bit of upright. I’m struggling to keep up here. At this rate Senegal will score 10.
74 min: P Gueye is chasing a hat-trick! He has a shot blocked from inside the box. The ball bounces to Diatta who meets it with interest but fires over the bar.
72 min: It’s not a better goal than his first. This one was simply leathered from a swinging boot. But oh my goodness! He smoked that! The cameras cut to Iraqi fans who look utterly dejected. Their team is taking a pasting.
The goal came about from some neat work down the left from Mane and the sub Jackson who found some room before putting in the cross. The ball was partially cleared before Gueye arrived with venom.
GOAL! Senegal 4-0 Iraq (P Gueye, 71)
That’s hit even harder! Mere seconds after the restart P Gueye lashes a bouncing ball in to the net from the edge of the box. He could not have struck that better!
67 min: That third goal seems to have taken the zip out of this game. Iraq’s players look like they’re running in porridge.
Just as well we’re having a hydration break (said no one ever, etc)
65 min: Jakobs down the right loses his man and is picked out. He then swivels and crosses the bouncing ball first time. It’s put in a pretty handy area but he can’t find a mate. Iraq are starting to look a little ragged. I think Senegal have more than enough, but a few more could make things absolutely safe.
62 min: Almost another. P Gueye is left unmarked on the edge of the area and scuffs a side-footer with his left which takes the ball away from goal. But it takes a deflection so Senegal get a corner. They’ll get another one. And another one. The fourth is taken short and is arrowed towards the far corner where four players in white leap for it but none of them can get a head on it.
60 min: He was on the field for 89 seconds and produced the best moment of the game. Take a bow Gueye.
GOAL! Senegal 3-0 Iraq (P Gueye, 59)
STUNNER! My word, what a hit! Was that his first touch since coming on. From the right of the box, he collects with his right foot, shifts it infield to make space for his swinging left boot, and then hammers it into the far top corner across the keeper. What a goal.
58 min: I feel for Iqbal. He’s been so good this afternoon but he dallied and he dillied and was punished. First his hacked clearance was blocked and then he was tackled…
GOAL! Senegal 2-0 Iraq (Sarr, 57)
There it is! But it’s a gift. Once again Iraq are their own worst enemies as Iqbal looses possession right outside his own box and has his pocked picked by Camara, who nearly made a mess of it, but was able to get the ball square for the diving Sarr to poke home.
