Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

England cruise into quarter finals with three-goal victory over Senegal

Joshua Donaldson
Updated
Harry Kane added England's second on the stroke of half time
Harry Kane added England's second on the stroke of half timeAFP, StatsPerform
After a shaky start where Senegal threatened to shock England, goals from Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane in the first half and a flicked effort from Bukayo Saka saw the Three Lions into the last eight with a 3-0 victory to set up a meeting with France next Saturday.

Follow our live audio commentary of this last 16 clash and don't miss a kick.

Full Time: England 3 Senegal 0

21:54 CET: Check out our full report from the game, written by Danny Lewis, and view all the stats from the game right here.

Full match stats
Full match statsOpta by StatsPerform

21:53 CET: Senegal will think about those moments in the first half where they had England right where they wanted them, but the Three Lions showed their class to score three goals in 20 minutes and secure progress into the last eight.

Second Half

93': Bamba Dieng has a free kick for Senegal - the effort is blasted into the wall.

91': England search for more as Luke Shaw picks out Marcus Rashford at the back post, but the forward can only find the side netting.

90': Four minutes to add on at the end of the game.

90': Senegal get in down their right, and the ball falls to Pape Sarr, but the shot is high and wide - sums up Senegal's second half. 

86': So, just a few minutes left in this one and England are strolling to victory. Unless something extraordinary happens now, they will face France on Saturday in the last eight. Kylian Mbappe against Kyle Walker will be fun. Back on the pitch Pickford claims a Senegal cross.

84': First time in a while that Senegal have had a chance, but Diedhiou heads over. Final change for Sengal as Ismail Jakobs comes off for Fode Bailo-Toure.

81': Jordan Henderson, who scored England's opener, is coming off for Kalvin Phillips. He gets more minutes as he regains fitness after a long injury lay-off.

80': Harry Kane nearly makes it four, but can't quite get on the end of Marcus Rashford's lovely cross. England at ease in this game now.

76': A third and fourth change for England now, as Mason Mount and Eric Dier come on for Jordan Henderson and John Stones.

75': Kalidou Koulibaly is the first palyer of the game to be booked for his challenge on Harry Kane.

74': Pape Sarr decides to try his luck from range, but his free-kick can't beat Pickford and it goes just wide.

72': Senegal make their fourth change of the night as Boulaye Dia, who hasn't had the same threat in the second half as he did in the first, has been replaced by Famara Diedhiou.

69': The game has lost the tempo of the first half with England now so far ahead. They are content with passing it around without causing too many threats and Senegal seem to have lost their spark.

65': It will be Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden to depart for Grealish and Rashford. Both have performed well for England and will be happy with their night's work.

61': Senegal need a goal and fast if there are to have any hope of turning this around. Their fans continue to keep the rhythm off the pitch, but it's England in control on it. Jack Grealish is about to enter the fray as is Marcus Rashford.

57': IT'S THREE FOR ENGLAND AND SAKA IS ON THE SCORESHEET!

Phil Foden does brilliantly to ride a challenge before delivering a delicious ball into the path of Bukayo Saka, who flicks it over Mendy and England have a third. They are well on top now.

54': England on the ball far more now and their confidence is growing. Bukayo Saka drives into the box, but he goes away from goal and shoots over the bar.  

51': Firsrt attack of the half for Senegal and they get down England's left. The cross falls to Pape Sarr on the edge of the box, but he scuffs the effort and that won't bother Jordan Pickford.

50': The runs from deep of Jude Bellingham and Jordan Henderson were the keys to both goals for England and they have both tried to replicate in the first five minutes of the second half. England look like they will continue with this tactic.

46': Three changes at half time for Senegal suggests they are really going to try and go for it. Pathe Ciss, Iliman Ndiaye and Krepin Diatta all off for Pape Gueye, Bamba Dieng and Pape Sarr.

46': Senegal need goals in the second 45 to get back into this game and they will feel confident of creating more after a first half where they were on top for large parts. What can they do to get back into this game or will England add more goals?

Half Time

20:53 CET: Momentum is a funny thing in football, but England have it all at the end of the half - as our graphic states.

First half momentum
First half momentumOpta by StatsPerform

And here are the match stats from a half where Senegal's Boulaye Dia has had the most shots, but England have the lead.

First half stats
First half statsOpta by StatsPerform

20:50 CET: For 40 minutes, Senegal were the better team in this round of 16 game, but England have struck fast to lead 2-0 at the break. Boulaye Dia and Ismaila Sarr spurned good chances for the AFCON champions before Jordan Henderson gave England the lead and Harry Kane added another on the break on the stroke of half time.

First Half

47': KANE MAKES IT TWO! 

Harry Kane doubles up for England. A swift counter attack sees Bellingham at the heart of the action again. He feeds Phil Foden, who calmly slots in Kane and the Spurs striker makes no mistake, breaking his World Cup drought and giving England a comfortable buffer at the break.

45': Declan Rice forward now for England, but his cross is poor and Senegal deal with it. Two minutes to be added on at the end of the first half.

43': What a difference a goal can make? Luke Shaw pinches the ball and just can't find a cross at the byline as Eduoard Mendy smothers the ball. With only two minutes until the break, England won't want this half to end now.

41': It could be two! A long goal kick from Pickford, finds Saka - he beats his marker and finds Harry Kane with a cross, but it's behind him and his effort goes over the bar. Moments later, Saka tries to find Foden this time with a cross but it's over his head. England have woken up as have their supporters in the stadium.

39': ENGLAND AHEAD AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY! JORDAN HENDERSON!

A swift move from England breaks the deadlock. Jude Bellingham is away and he finds Jordan Henderson who finishes with composure. England may not deserve it, but they have the lead.

36': Kyle Walker and Ismaila Sarr having a good battle down the right and the right back is lucky not to get booked after bringing down Sarr. Senegal growing in confidence minute-by-minute.

34': You may remember the picture from Senegal's last game where a Moroccan supporter was dancing along with the Senegalese faithful. Well, he is back again for more and those fans will be hugely encouraged by their team so far.

31': Senegal picking up the tempo and passing it around nicely. Boulaye Dia forces a big stop from Jordan Pickford - another great chance for the AFCON champions, who right now, deserve to be a goal up in this game.

25': Senegal's shape has made it very hard for England to play through the lines and forced that chance two mnutes earlier. England now able to get forward with Luke Shaw and Jude Bellingham. Saka has come off his wing looking for the ball, but England's movement in attacking areas needs a lot to be desired.

23': There was a VAR check after that big chance for a penalty after Senegal claimed England's John Stones handballed it. He did not and we play on.

22': Best chance of the half so far and it goes to Senegal. Boulaye Dia's effort is blocked but it falls to Ismaila Sarr and somehow he fires over from four metres. A huge let off for England.

20': First corner for England and Phil Foden finds John Stones at the near post, but he heads over.

18': Senegal's best ally will be their pace and Harry Maguire is being fully tested by Boulaye Dia - a couple of nervy moments for the centre half so far. England, though, with the majority of possession so far - 69%.

16': Bellingham has been England's brightest spark so far as the teenager has been a nuisance for Senegal's defenders. He tries to get his supporters going and they react to him to raise the noise levels. However, the baseline of Senegal's musical symphony is hard to interrupt.

12': A rather scrappy opening 10 minutes, but England finally getting their foot on the ball as Senegal stay resolute in their shape. Saka tries to break that, but the ball floats over everyone. Jude Bellingham tries to carry on the attack, which eventually finds Harry Kane and his ball is teasing, but can't quite find Saka. Problems for Senegal down their left hand side in the early going.

9': Both defences look slightly nervy under pressure. England put the press on and Bukayo Saka nearly wins the ball inside Senegal's box. 

8': Declan Rice gets on the end of the short free kick and puts in a good ball that Harry Maguire can't quite reach. 

7': An early free kick for England after Jude Bellingham is fouled. A chance to load the box perhaps?

5': Boulaye Dia goes on an enterprising run through the middle of England's defence but Harry Maguire manages to snuff that out. A warning for England there from Senegal.

4': Jordan Henderson already snapping into the press and winning the ball high, he tries to find Phil Foden with a through ball, but it is too pacey for the winger. 

3': England manager Gareth Southgate has won more knockout games than any other England manager, and he has stuck to his guns with a 4-3-3. Senegal have matched them up it seems and both sides taking their time to size each other up - something we have seen in the knockout games so far.

1': We are under way in Qatar, who will join the Netherlands, Argentina and France in the next stage of the World Cup - England or the African Cup of Nations champions, Senegal?

Pre-Match

19:54 CET: Colour everywhere you look around Al Bayt Stadium and the players are out onto the pitch. Time for the anthems.

19:50 CET: Just 10 minutes to go before kick off and just a quick reminder that whoever progresses tonight will face France, who beat Poland 3-1 earlier today, on Saturday in the quarters.

19:26 CET: In the build-up to the game Senegal manager Aliou Cisse has been ill and has missed vital training sessions for his side. However, he is expected to resume duties tonight.

"He (Cisse) has been sick for a couple of days now and he let us take charge of training yesterday obviously with his instructions," assistant coach Regis Bogaert told reporters on Saturday.

"Hopefully tomorrow he will be able to come and be on the bench with the players but we are sure at 10pm he will be there with the team."

19:11 CET: Some quotes from Harry Kane ahead of tonight's game, where he talks about his fitness and being in the right shape for the knockout stages.

"I think it probably goes back to 2018 in the World Cup. From a physical and maybe mental side of things we started the tournament great, I started the tournament with lots of goals and we used a lot of energy," Kane told reporters.

"As the tournament went on I felt like my performances maybe dipped in the latter stages. I was conscious before the Euros of trying to make it the other way. I was trying to make sure that, physically and mentally, I was in the best place for the knockout stages.

"I kind of carried that into this tournament. I would love to be sitting here with two or three goals now, but I think the group stage has gone well. Going into the knockout stage, I feel really good. I feel fit and sharp."

Team News

19:02 CET: Idrissa Gueye misses out for Senegal as their one or two changes with Nampalys Mendy starting in place of him. Krepin Diatta comes in for Pape Gueye. For England, Jordan Henderson retains his spot in the starting line-up, as does Kyle Walker. At the front, Bukayo Saka comes in for Marcus Rashford as Raheem Sterling is absent through personal reasons.

England: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Henderson, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane, Foden

Senegal: Edouard Mendy, Sabaly, Koulibaly, Diallo, Jakobs, Ciss, Nampalys Mendy, Ndiaye, Diatta, Ismaila Sarr, Dia.

Pre-Match

With the best record after the group stages, England head into the last 16 of the World Cup in confident mood, where they will be favourites to see off a Senegal side that finsished second in Group A behind the Netherlands.

The pair have never met before in a competitive game and England are unbeaten against African opposition in all 21 meetings. At the World Cup, they have won three and drawn three times against teams from Africa.

We will have team news shortly and you can listen to the game with our audio commentary from 19:55 CET or follow us right here to see who will reach the quarter finals.