England Fall to Historic 3–1 Defeat Against Senegal in Friendly Clash

England suffered a historic and sobering 3–1 loss to Senegal in a friendly at Nottingham’s City Ground, marking their first-ever defeat to an African opponent.

Captain Harry Kane gave England an early lead in the 7th minute after Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy failed to hold onto a cross from Anthony Gordon, allowing Kane to slot the ball home. However, Senegal responded strongly. Ismaila Sarr equalised shortly before half-time, capitalising on a defensive lapse by Kyle Walker that allowed Nicolas Jackson to deliver the decisive cross.

Senegal took control in the second half. Habib Diarra scored in the 62nd minute, slotting the ball through Dean Henderson’s legs. In stoppage time, Cheikh Sabaly added a third, sealing a memorable victory for the visitors and ending any hopes of a late England comeback.

Defensive vulnerabilities were evident throughout the match, with Walker’s performance particularly criticised. Jude Bellingham had a goal ruled out after Levi Colwill was adjudged to have handled the ball in the build-up. The final whistle was met with boos from the home crowd, reflecting growing fan frustration.

The result marked Thomas Tuchel’s first defeat in four matches as England manager. Despite a recent win over Andorra, the display against Senegal revealed lingering issues in squad cohesion and tactical execution. With just over a year until the World Cup, pressure will mount on Tuchel to address the team’s flaws and restore belief among supporters.