Senegal put one foot in World Cup after South Sudan annihilation

Senegal annihilated South Sudan, recording an emphatic victory in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualification (Group B) match played at the Juba Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The victory saw the Lions of Teranga consolidate their spot at the top of the Group B standings, and they will qualify for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the USA if they wrap up their qualifying campaign with a win over Mauritania on Tuesday in Diamniado.

The Bright Stars, on the other hand, remained sixth in the Group B table after registering their fifth defeat and they will be hoping to end an unsuccessful qualifying campaign with a victory over Togo in Juba on Monday.

It took 29 minutes for Ismaila Sarr to score his 17th international goal to hand Senegal a 1-0 lead with Iliman Ndiaye providing the assist. The score was 1-0 to Senegal at halftime, having dominated the first half, but the visitors could only score once.

However, the West Africans were more efficient in front of goal after the restart. Sadio Mane extended his record as Senegal's all-time leading goalscorer when he netted his 46th goal a minute into the second half with the South Sudan defence exposed.

The 2021 Afcon champions were running rampant as Sarr completed his brace in the 54th minute, before Nicolas Jackson netted his third international goal from the penalty spot to extend Senegal's lead to 4-0 a minute before the hour mark.

The Bright Stars simply could not contain the Lions of the Teranga, who were hungry for goals. Cherif Ndiaye, who had replaced Jackson in the 63rd minute, put the final nail in South Sudan's coffin in the 76th minute - sealing Senegal's emphatic 5-0 win.

South Sudan 0

Senegal (1) 5 (Sarr 29, 54', Mane 46', Jackson 59', C. Ndiaye 76')

South Sudan: Mawith, Wani (Okocha 61'), Toha, Atendele, Adebo, Malish (Sebit D. O. 61'), Chan, Majak (Akech 74'), Chol, Yuel (Ronald J P. 61'), Okello (Riak 61')

Senegal: E. Mendy, Diatta, Niakhate, Koulibaly, Diouf, Gueye (Niasse 72'), P. M. Sarr, I. Ndiaye (Camara 71'), I. Sarr (Ciss 63), S. Mane (Sabaly 63'), Jackson (C. Ndiaye 63').