Senegal made history on Tuesday night, becoming the first African team to defeat England in 22 matches, with a commanding 3-1 win in a friendly at the City Ground. Goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra, and Cheikh Sabaly secured the victory for the West African side, extending their unbeaten streak to 24 games.
England, under new manager Thomas Tuchel, suffered their first loss in four matches despite an early goal from captain Harry Kane. The defeat comes after a heavily rotated squad was named, featuring 10 changes from Saturday’s narrow 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Andorra.
Kane opened the scoring in the 7th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy failed to hold onto Anthony Gordon’s low strike. However, England’s early lead was erased five minutes before halftime when Sarr exploited a lapse in concentration from Kyle Walker, turning in a low cross from Nicolas Jackson to equalize.
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Senegal continued to press after the break and were rewarded in the 62nd minute when Diarra latched onto a lofted pass and slotted the ball between Dean Henderson’s legs to give the visitors a deserved lead. England’s late push for an equalizer was denied when Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time goal was disallowed for a handball in the buildup.
The match ended on a sour note for the home fans as Sabaly added a third for Senegal deep into added time, prompting boos from the England faithful at the final whistle.
Senegal’s emphatic win not only underlines their status as a rising force in international football but also raises questions about England’s squad depth and readiness under Tuchel, who continues to experiment ahead of major competitions.
