Event: Pape Gueye

Senegal currently hold the fifth-best record of third-place teams based on their plus-2 goal differential.Pape Gueye scored two sensational second-half goals from long range, giving Senegal a thumping 5-0 win over Iraq and a much-needed goal difference boost in their bid to qualify for the round of 32 at the World Cup.Iraq were hapless and down to 10 men in their final Group I match at Toronto Stadium on Friday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Ivory Coast’s Fae saddened by Schweinsteiger’s ‘wild’ African football jablist 2 of 4Australia seal World Cup knockouts spot after gritty 0-0 draw with Paraguaylist 3 of 4World Cup knockouts: Who has made it to the round of 32 stage?list 4 of 4World Cup 2026: Day 16 schedule, predictions and Round of 32 raceend of listIsmaila Sarr added his third goal of the tournament, the first of four after half-time for the Lions of Teranga who sealed a third-place group finish with three points and goal difference of plus-two.They currently hold the fifth-best record of third-place sides, but four of the teams beneath them have yet to play their final group matches.Habib Diarra opened the scoring in the fourth minute while it was still 11 on 11, and Iliman Ndiaye wrapped it up with his own long-range effort in the 82nd minute.Iraq, who lost all three group-stage matches, were eliminated from their second World Cup and first since 1986.The prospect of their first World Cup points grew remote when referee Anthony Taylor dismissed defender Rebin Sulaka for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in the 13th minute.Taylor initially brandished only a yellow card after Sadio Mane dribbled past Sulaka, who hauled him back with an outstretched arm. But Taylor was summoned to consult a replay monitor, and after viewing the play again, upgraded the decision.Senegal…

Ousmane Dembele scored one of the earliest hat-tricks in World Cup history as the Ballon d’Or winner starred in France’s 4-1 win over a second-string Norway, while Erling Haaland watched on from the bench.Paris Saint-Germain forward Dembele opened the scoring in the seventh minute at Boston Stadium on Friday, struck again on 20 minutes, and after Thelo Aasgaard had pulled one back, he made it 3-1 in the 32nd minute.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘This time’: The World Cup commercials capturing Egypt’s soaring hopeslist 2 of 4The Pakistan artisans still hand-stitching the world’s footballslist 3 of 4Australia seal World Cup knockouts spot after gritty 0-0 draw with Paraguaylist 4 of 4‘Respect for all’: Egypt coach offers support for Iranian team at World Cupend of listThe only player to complete a hat-trick earlier in a World Cup match is Erich Probst, who got three inside the first 24 minutes for Austria against Czechoslovakia in 1954.Dembele moves on to four goals in the tournament after also scoring in the 3-0 win over Iraq on Monday, and his display here will perhaps ease some of the pressure on captain Kylian Mbappe to always be France’s match-winner.Desire Doue completed the scoring late on, and the victory allowed France to end the group stage with the maximum nine points – they have scored 10 goals in three games and advance as Group I winners.France will now stay in the northeastern United States for a last-32 tie against a third-place finisher at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey next Tuesday.It was an emotionally charged day for Les Bleus, who had to play this match without coach Didier Deschamps after he returned to France to attend his mother’s funeral. Deschamps, who will step down at the end of the World Cup after 14 years in…