Ndiaye’s belief survives Senegal’s stumble
Iliman Ndiaye’s World Cup ambition is still alive, and his first goal at the tournament helped Senegal stay in it. The Everton forward came off the bench to finish a 5-0 win over Iraq in Toronto, a result that sent Senegal into the knockout rounds and set up a possible meeting with England. His goal capped a match that had begun as a qualification problem and ended as a convincing response.
That turnaround matters. Senegal had lost to France 3-1 and Norway 3-2 in New Jersey, leaving them outside the top two in Group I and bottom of the ranking of 12 third-placed teams. Only eight of those teams would advance to the last 32, so their route depended on more than simply avoiding another defeat. They needed a result large enough to improve their goal difference, and the five-goal margin gave them the kind of lift the standings demanded.
Senegal had a head start before the rout took shape. Sunderland’s Habib Diarra scored in the fourth minute, and Iraq defender Rebin Sulaka was sent off nine minutes later for fouling former Liverpool player Sadio Mane. Senegal then had much of the match to exploit the extra-player advantage. That advantage helped, but it still had to be turned into goals; Senegal did that decisively after half-time.
A late goal, and a possible Everton reunion
Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr made it 2-0 in the 56th minute. Substitute Pape Gueye then scored twice, in the 59th and 71st minutes. Ndiaye, brought on for Paris Saint-Germain teenager Ibrahim Mbaye in the 57th minute, set up Gueye’s second before adding the fifth himself eight minutes from full time: a weaving run followed by a firm right-footed shot from outside the box. The sequence showed two sides of his contribution: he created for a teammate, then supplied the finish himself.
For a forward introduced after the match had already turned Senegal’s way, that was a useful statement. His goal didn’t erase the losses against France and Norway, but it gave the team another attacking contribution at a point when the scoreline was still being built. This is more significant than it looks: Ndiaye’s role wasn’t limited to waiting for a chance in front of goal.
Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye captained Senegal and made his third start of the tournament, taking his record for Senegal appearances to 134. His experience and Ndiaye’s late impact gave the club a prominent place in the match, even as the immediate story belonged to Senegal’s qualification push. There’s a shared club connection to follow if the possible meeting with England comes off.
Ndiaye’s finish keeps his own stated target in play. In an interview with SPORTbible, published on the day Senegal opened against France, he said: “In my opinion, we are going to win the World Cup. If I didn’t think that, then what’s the point of going?
“What’s the point of packing your suitcase? I don’t want to be a tourist.
“I’m going there to win it. If I thought differently, then I’d give my place in the team to someone else.”
That confidence sounded especially bold after two defeats. Now it has a little more life behind it, though one win over a 10-man Iraq side doesn’t tell us how far Senegal can go. The result answers the immediate question of whether they could recover enough to advance; it doesn’t establish how they’ll fare when the margin for error shrinks in the knockout rounds. A reset, not a verdict.
What the result changes for Senegal and Everton
The next test could bring an Everton subplot. Senegal are due to meet England in Atlanta at 5pm UK time on Wednesday, July 1, in the last 32, if England finish top of Group L by beating Panama in New Jersey tonight. Ndiaye and Gueye could then face club teammate Jordan Pickford. For supporters, that possibility turns Senegal’s progression into a direct club storyline, but it remains conditional on England’s group result.
If you’re following Everton’s players at the tournament, the contrast is sharp: two are part of a Senegal side that has reached the knockout rounds, while another may soon be facing them. The article also identifies Nathan Patterson as the fourth Everton player at the tournament. Scotland are expected to go out unless the final group matches produce an unlikely set of results.
For Senegal, the Iraq match offers momentum and a clearer path into the last 32, but the next match will say more about whether the team can convert a needed recovery into a sustained run. Ndiaye’s belief has survived the stumble. The football still has to catch up with it.