Senegal vs. Iraq: Three matches, five goals conceded and an off-field storm — can Thiaw spark a World Cup revival?

Two matches. Two defeats. Five goals conceded. And at no point did Senegal look anything like the side they were supposed to be. As the Lions of the Teranga head into their final Group I fixture against Iraq knowing that only a win — and most likely a substantial one — can keep their World Cup 2026 alive, boss Pape Thiaw has publicly promised a tactical rethink. Now comes the moment to deliver on that promise.

For Senegal to advance as one of the eight best third-placed sides, victory against Iraq alone may not suffice. Goal difference is likely to matter, and with the group's standings still in flux, the Lions may need to win emphatically. That context makes the question of selection all the more pressing.

Senegal vs. Iraq: a catalogue of underperformance from established names

The post-Norway press conference saw Thiaw offer a frank acknowledgement of what had gone wrong.

'We are now going to review the match, draw all the necessary lessons from it and correct our mistakes to make sure we do not repeat them,' the Senegal manager said, before announcing what he described as a 'tactical revolt' ahead of the Iraq fixture.

The diagnosis is not in dispute. Kalidou Koulibaly, who made a last-minute recovery from injury to be available for the tournament, was involved in all three of Norway's goals in the 3-2 defeat that followed his difficult display against France. Questions about his physical condition are now unavoidable. The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia was also his first appearance — this World Cup was supposed to be the crowning moment. It has not been.

In midfield, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Pape Gueye have both struggled to impose their authority and control the tempo they are capable of at their best. Sadio Mane, for all his experience and reputation, has not yet produced the decisive individual intervention that might have changed the course of either match. Of the established names, Ismaila Sarr — who scored twice in the defeat to Norway — has been the one player to genuinely respond, while Edouard Mendy's important saves in the early stages of the campaign were snuffed out by the knee injury that now rules him out on Friday.

Senegal vs. Iraq: the case for the untouched youngsters

The most striking aspect of Senegal's group stage campaign has not been the results themselves but what has remained unused. Iliman Ndiaye, in excellent form for his club in the months leading up to the tournament, played only a cameo against France — in which he immediately provided an assist — and did not feature against Norway. Ibrahim Mbaye, the revelation of the last Africa Cup of Nations, has not played a single minute. Bara Sapoko Ndiaye, the Bayern Munich midfielder, remains on the bench. So does Assane Diao.

At this stage of a competition where Senegal have nothing left to lose, the argument for bringing those players in is compelling. Against an Iraq side playing their own final match, the Lions will need exactly the qualities those young profiles offer: pace, directness and creativity.

The off-field backdrop that has darkened the mood

The problems surrounding Senegal's campaign extend beyond the pitch. Late payment of match bonuses, the belated renewal of Thiaw's contract and a series of logistical failures that the manager himself publicly acknowledged have created a difficult atmosphere around the squad.

But the time for explanations has passed. Thiaw was direct after the Norway game.

'Everything can still be decided on the final matchday,' he said. 'We need to play this match at full intensity.'

If the Lions fail to win and fail to convince against Iraq, one of the most talented generations in the history of Senegalese football will have departed a World Cup in the group stage — an outcome that nobody could have imagined just two weeks ago.