World Cup 2026: Senegal vs Iraq predicted lineups

Senegal face a must-win showdown against Iraq on Friday knowing only victory, and likely a convincing one, will keep their FIFA World Cup hopes alive.

The Lions of Teranga head into their final Group I fixture without a point after successive defeats to France and Norway, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the standings.

Iraq find themselves in the same position after losing both of their opening matches, meaning a draw would eliminate both nations. With one of the tournament’s best third-placed qualification spots still within reach, goal difference could prove decisive, setting the stage for an open and attack-minded contest at BMO Field in Toronto.

Senegal banking on attacking quality

Despite their disappointing start, Senegal remain favourites to collect all three points thanks to the wealth of attacking talent available to head coach Pape Thiaw. The African side has shown glimpses of its quality in both defeats and now requires a ruthless display to maximise its chances of sneaking into the round of 32.

Senegal’s frontline boasts proven match winners in Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson and Ismaïla Sarr, with the latter already demonstrating his sharpness by scoring twice against Norway. Their pace, movement and experience are expected to pose significant problems for an Iraqi defence that has struggled throughout the competition.

Although Senegal’s backline has looked vulnerable at times, Thiaw is expected to encourage his players to press aggressively from the opening whistle rather than adopt a cautious approach. The priority will be scoring as many goals as possible while keeping qualification hopes alive until the final whistle.

Injury concern forces Senegal change

Thiaw is unlikely to overhaul a side that produced encouraging spells against stronger opposition, but one enforced alteration is expected.

First-choice goalkeeper Édouard Mendy is set to miss the match after suffering an injury against Norway, paving the way for Mory Diaw to start between the posts. Elsewhere, captain Kalidou Koulibaly is expected to retain his place alongside Moussa Niakhaté despite defensive errors in the previous outing.

Predicted Senegal XI (4-3-3): Diaw; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhaté, Diouf; Camara, I. Gueye, P. Gueye; Sarr, Jackson, Mané.

Iraq facing uphill battle

Iraq also enter the decisive encounter desperate for their first points of the tournament, but recent form suggests they face a difficult task against one of Africa’s strongest sides.

The Lions of Mesopotamia have struggled for consistency, with victories proving scarce even before arriving at the World Cup. Drawn into one of the tournament’s toughest groups, they have found life difficult against elite opposition and now need a remarkable performance to extend their campaign.

Head coach Graham Arnold is also monitoring the fitness of leading striker Aymen Hussein after he was forced off early in the defeat to France. Should he fail to recover in time, Ipswich Town forward Ali Al Hamadi is expected to lead the attack.

Much of Iraq’s creativity will once again come from midfielder Zidane Iqbal, who will be tasked with dictating play and creating opportunities for the forwards against a physically imposing Senegal midfield.

Predicted Iraq XI (4-3-3): Basil; Ali, Tahseen, Hashem, Doski; Ismael, Al Ammari, Iqbal; Qasem, Al Hamadi, Bayesh.

Prediction

With qualification still mathematically possible, Senegal have every incentive to chase goals from the outset. Their superior individual quality, particularly in attack, should prove too much for an Iraqi side that has struggled to contain top-level opposition throughout the tournament.

Iraq may find a way onto the scoresheet, but Senegal’s firepower is expected to dominate proceedings in what could be one of the most one-sided matches of the final round of Group I fixtures.

Prediction: Senegal 4-1 Iraq.