England suffered a surprising 3-1 defeat to Senegal in a friendly match played at the City Ground in Nottingham on Tuesday. This marks the first time in history that England has lost to an African team, putting added pressure on head coach Thomas Tuchel just one year before the 2026 World Cup.
The match started well for England as captain Harry Kane scored early, continuing his record of scoring in every game since Tuchel took over. Kane’s goal came just seven minutes into the game after a rebound from Chelsea’s Anthony Gordon’s shot, which Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy could only parry. Kane calmly tapped in his 73rd goal for England.
Despite England’s promising start, Senegal quickly turned the game around with three impressive goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra, and Cheikh Sabaly. Their attacking display exposed weaknesses in the England defence, especially during key moments when concentration was lost.
Senegal’s first goal came from Sarr, who capitalized on a mistake from England’s Kyle Walker. Sarr met a precise cross from Nicolas Jackson and fired the ball into the bottom corner, leveling the score.
The visitors took the lead just after the hour mark through Habib Diarra. The young midfielder found space behind England’s defence and neatly slotted the ball past England’s goalkeeper Dean Henderson. Henderson was given a rare chance to play in place of Jordan Pickford but could do little to prevent the goal.
England struggled to find their rhythm despite several attempts. Chelsea’s Bukayo Saka and Morgan Gibbs-White were denied good chances by Edouard Mendy, who made crucial saves to keep Senegal ahead.
Late in the match, England appeared to have equalized when Jude Bellingham smashed the ball home from a corner. However, the goal was ruled out due to a handball by Levi Colwill during the build-up.
Senegal sealed their famous victory in stoppage time when Cheikh Sabaly finished a fast counter-attack, sending the away fans into celebration and leaving the home crowd stunned.
The defeat is a significant blow for England, who had never before lost to an African side in 22 attempts. It also raises questions about the readiness of the England team under Thomas Tuchel’s leadership. Tuchel had already expressed frustration after England’s lackluster 1-0 win against Andorra in their recent World Cup qualifying match.
In response to the Andorra game, Tuchel made major changes to the starting lineup against Senegal, with Kane the only player retained from the previous match. Despite this shake-up, the team failed to show cohesion or creativity, resulting in the historic loss.
The match also highlighted the rising quality of African football. Senegal, who have become a strong force in international soccer, have lost only once from open play since their defeat by England in the 2022 World Cup. Their quick passing, tactical awareness, and clinical finishing were too much for the English side on the day.
The boos from the disappointed home fans reflected growing frustration with England’s performance. With the World Cup just a year away, the team will need to address their defensive lapses and lack of attacking fluency if they hope to compete for the trophy.
Tuchel will have plenty to think about as England prepare for their next international fixtures scheduled for September. The manager will need to find solutions to boost the team’s confidence and ensure that England do not suffer more embarrassing results ahead of the global tournament.
For Senegal, the victory is a historic milestone and a boost of confidence. It shows the progress of African football on the world stage and reminds everyone that African teams can compete with and beat traditional football powerhouses.
