Senegal defeated Iraq in their final Group I match in Toronto on Friday, improving to one win and two losses for three points and finishing third in the group.
Senegal had trailed South Korea on goal difference, but the five-goal victory improved its mark to plus-three, pushing Korea, at minus-one, further down the standings.
South Korea, also on three points with one win and two losses, is now seventh in the overall third-place standings and sixth among the seven teams that have completed all three group matches.
Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups advance to the round of 32, along with the eight best third-place finishers.
Sweden, Ecuador and Bosnia and Herzegovina, each with four points, have already secured places in the knockout stage.
Needing a convincing win to strengthen its qualification chances, Senegal attacked from the outset and took the lead through Habib Diarra in the fourth minute.
Iraq’s task became even more difficult when defender Rebin Sulaka was sent off in the ninth minute following a video review. Senegal took advantage of its numerical superiority and scored four more goals in the second half.
In the other Group I match, France defeated Norway 4-1 in Boston behind a hat trick from Ousmane Dembele.
A highly anticipated meeting between France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland did not materialize after Haaland missed the match.
France finished top of the group with three wins and nine points. Norway advanced as the runner-up with two wins and one loss and will face Ivory Coast in the round of 32 on July 1.
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