Senegal handed England a humbling 3-1 defeat in a high-profile international friendly on Tuesday, becoming the first African team to beat the Three Lions in 22 matches.

Goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra and Cheikh Sabaly sealed the victory at Nottingham’s City Ground, extending Senegal’s unbeaten run to 24 games.

England’s only goal came early through captain Harry Kane, who capitalised on a rebound after Edouard Mendy failed to hold Anthony Gordon’s low effort in the seventh minute. However, the visitors responded strongly, exposing England’s defensive frailties. 

Sarr levelled in the 40th minute after sneaking past Kyle Walker to convert Nicolas Jackson’s cross. Diarra then gave Senegal the lead in the 62nd, racing onto a lofted pass and slotting through Dean Henderson’s legs. Sabaly added a third deep in injury time, prompting jeers from home supporters.

The result marked England’s first defeat under new manager Thomas Tuchel, who made 10 changes to the side that narrowly beat Andorra 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday. England appeared disjointed throughout, and a late equaliser from Jude Bellingham was ruled out for handball in the build-up.

“Not good enough,” Kane admitted to ITV. “We’re not clicking. The aggression, the tempo – it’s just not there.”

Manager Tuchel echoed the concern: “We looked passive for large parts of the match. The goals we conceded were too soft. We showed more urgency after going behind, but it wasn’t enough.”

England struggled to match Senegal’s attacking intensity, with Henderson forced into nine saves, including a fine early stop from Sarr’s header. Gordon missed a clear chance to double England’s lead before the break, while Mendy denied Bukayo Saka a late equaliser before Senegal sealed the win.

Source: online 

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