World Cup 2026: We Will Vent Our Anger On Iraq – Senegal Coach Thiaw

World Cup 2026: We Will Vent Our Anger On Iraq – Senegal Coach Thiaw

Sampson Adedeji

Senegal head coach, Pape Thiaw, has vowed that his side will channel their frustration into securing victory when they face Iraq in their final group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Teranga Lions suffered a painful 3-2 defeat to Norway in their second group game, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance. Senegal must now beat Iraq and hope results elsewhere go in their favour to progress to the next round.

Speaking ahead of the decisive encounter, 

Thiaw admitted that the loss to Norway was difficult to accept but insisted his players are fully focused on bouncing back.

“The defeat against Norway is bitter for us. 

We were looking for a positive result. We've digested it, and the team is hungry. We're going to go get a victory for our people,” Thiaw said.

The Senegal coach also addressed the decision to field experienced defender Kalidou Koulibaly despite concerns over his fitness.

“Collectively, we had determined that Koulibaly was fit to play. 

The team had suffered, and it wasn't easy for him because he was certainly short on match practice, and we acknowledge that,” he explained.

Looking ahead to the clash with Iraq, Thiaw described the match as a final and stressed the importance of securing all three points.

“Tomorrow will be a final, a very difficult match for sure against a team that is very tactically disciplined. We want to continue in this competition, and we'll prove it tomorrow,” he added.

Senegal will head into the encounter knowing that anything less than a win could bring their World Cup campaign to an early end.