Senegal vs Iraq

Two continental champions navigating very different trajectories meet in a fixture that could decide who joins France in the knockout phase. Senegal's 2022 African Cup of Nations triumph cemented their status as the continent's standard-bearers, and their World Cup performances have steadily improved — from the 2002 quarter-finals to the 2022 last-eight where England needed three goals to see them off. Iraq's 2007 Asian Cup title remains the high-water mark, but Casas has dragged them back toward relevance with a 2023 Asian Cup semi-final run.

The stylistic contrast is compelling. Senegal are physically imposing, comfortable in transition, and ruthless when Mané or Ismaïla Sarr get running at retreating defenders. Iraq are meticulous in their defensive shape, with Safaa Hadi and the midfield double-pivot trained to deny central penetration and force opponents wide.

That approach could frustrate Senegal if Cissé's side lacks patience in the final third — a weakness that surfaced at AFCON 2023 where they occasionally ran out of ideas against deep blocks. The individual quality gap is real: Senegal's squad features regular Champions League contributors while Iraq's best perform in the Gulf leagues and scattered European outposts. Yet Iraq have made a habit of defying such arithmetic.

This match will test whether Senegal's power can crack controlled resistance, or whether Iraq's patience can produce another tournament surprise.