South Korea's World Cup Hopes Fade as Senegal Victory Pushes Them to 7th in Qualification Rankings

South Korea's hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup have taken a significant blow, as the team now ranks seventh among the eight third-placed nations eligible for qualification. This drop occurred after Senegal secured a decisive 5-0 victory against Iraq in their final group stage match.

The result means Senegal now holds a better goal difference (+2) than South Korea (-1), placing them higher in the standings. This outcome has severely complicated South Korea's path to the World Cup, with their qualification prospects now appearing increasingly slim as other group matches are still to be played.

Senegal's dominant performance against Iraq saw them score early through an own goal and later receive a red card for the Iraqi side. Despite Iraq holding on in the first half, Senegal broke through in the second, with Ismaïla Sarr, Pape Gueye scoring twice, and Iliman Ndiaye sealing the 5-0 win.

In a separate match, France secured a 4-1 victory over Norway. Ousmane Dembélé was the star of the game, scoring a hat-trick in the first half. Kylian Mbappé provided two assists. Norway managed a consolation goal through Martin Ødegaard, but France extended their lead late in the game with a goal from Randal Kolo Muani. Notably, Norway's key striker, Erling Haaland, was absent from the match, with the team seemingly prioritizing preparation for future tournaments.