DAKAR, March 26 (Reuters) - Senegal strengthened their hold on their World Cup qualifying group with a 6-1 thrashing of Liberia on Saturday.

The home side's flamboyant performance was led by in-form

striker El Hadji Diouf but it was his Bolton Wanderers team mate

Khalilou Fadiga who opened the scoring, hammering the ball home

from a free kick just outside the penalty area on 17 minutes.

Senegal's second came from a zinging Diouf penalty after

forward Mamadou Niang was brought down by Liberia's goalkeeper

as he was about to fire home.

Liberia, who failed to find funds to fly in their

foreign-based contingent, crumbled completely after halftime

allowing Abdoulaye Diagne Faye, Henri Camara and Moussa Ndiaye

to add their names to the scoresheet.

Diagne Faye sprung on to the end of a curling Diouf pass,

heading the ball into the corner of the net before the keeper

could react.

Southampton striker Camara then nimbly weaved his way past

two men and struck the fourth blow for Senegal.

The 60,000 home fans roared their appreciation and they

didn't have long to wait for the fifth when Ndiaye took the ball

deep from Fadiga and lobbed home.

Final honours fell to Diouf, who shimmied his way past the

defence for his second six minutes from time.

Senegal are joint top of African zone Group One with 13

points from six matches, equal with Zambia, who beat Congo 2-0

earlier on Saturday.