Senegal Make Football History With Landmark Win Over England
Who saw this coming? On June 10, Senegal didn’t just beat England—they broke barriers. The African champions snatched a 3-1 victory at the City Ground in Nottingham, becoming the very first African side to ever beat the England men’s national team. This friendly was set to be just another summer run-out for the hosts, but it quickly turned into a storyline for the ages.
The match started with a flash. England, still fresh under Thomas Tuchel’s management, looked sharp and ready. In only the seventh minute, Harry Kane, ever the poacher, put England ahead after Édouard Mendy spilled a routine ball in the box. For a moment, it looked like business as usual for the Three Lions, who until then had kept a clean sheet in every match with Tuchel at the helm.
Senegal, though, didn’t fold. As half-time approached, they started pushing back. Ismaïla Sarr, always a threat on the break, got on the end of a Nicolas Jackson cross, catching England right-back Kyle Walker flat-footed and slipping the equalizer past him in the 40th minute. That goal wasn’t just an answer—it was a warning of what was to come.
Senegal’s Second-Half Surge Leaves England Reeling
After the break, things went from routine to raucous. Senegal upped their tempo and England’s defence began to wobble. In the 62nd minute, Habib Diarra breezed through the backline and calmly slotted the ball between Dean Henderson’s legs. That goal put England behind for the first time under Tuchel, and the home crowd felt the tension rise.
England weren’t short of attempts to claw their way back in. Tuchel turned to his bench, sending on Morgan Gibbs-White and Bukayo Saka in the hope of a turnaround. Saka injected some energy on the wing, even nearly setting up Kane for a second, but Senegal’s backline, marshaled by an alert Mendy (redeeming his earlier mishap with a string of quick saves), stood tall.
The fire faded from England as the game entered stoppage time. Senegal, sensing history, finished the job. Midfielder Lamine Camara threaded a slick pass through disorganized English defenders to Cheikh Sabaly, who coolly tucked away the third goal. The home fans greeted the final whistle with boos—a rare sound for a side that has promised so much in the last 12 months.
One last twist came when Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time goal was disallowed after VAR flagged a handball from Levi Colwill. Any hope of a dramatic comeback was gone. With the result in the books, England’s unbeaten start under Tuchel was over, leaving fans and pundits with tough questions about their defensive stability.
Senegal, on the other hand, walked off with their 24th game unbeaten—a record that’s turning heads far beyond Africa. Players like Mendy and Camara earned deserved praise, while England’s defensive frailties became the post-match talking point. All eyes now shift to England’s next challenge, a European qualifier against Andorra in September, while Senegal’s achievement will echo well into the future. This wasn’t just a friendly—it was a statement.
