England took a step toward bringing football home in a dominant 3–0 win against Senegal in the round of 16, setting up a highly anticipated matchup with defending World Cup champion France in Saturday’s quarterfinal.
After winning a difficult group where they destroyed Iran, drew with the U.S. and secured a win against Wales on the final day, the Three Lions never struggled against Senegal despite a sluggish start. Yet by halftime, England had jumped out to a 2–0 lead thanks to goals from Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane.
Senegal, who needed a close win in its final group game against Ecuador to secure a spot in the knockout stage, rarely challenged without star forward Sadio Mané, who missed the tournament due to injury.
Despite scoring twice against Wales, Marcus Rashford was left out of the starting lineup for Bukayo Saka while Raheem Sterling was not in the matchday squad due to a family issue.
Senegal created the first chance in the fourth minute when Boulaye Dia broke through the England defense and seemed to have a window at goal before Harry Maguire stepped in to knock the chance away.
England followed that with a series of chances created down the wing where Jude Bellingham and Kane each sent dangerous crosses into the box that just missed Saka at the far post.
Senegal was gifted a golden chance in the 23rd minute when Maguire’s errant pass from the back was intercepted. After Dia’s shot glanced off his foot, the ball fell right to Ismaïla Sarr in front of goal, but the Watford forward was under pressure from the England defense and sent it over the bar.
Senegal had the best chance of the match in the 31st minute thanks to another poor England pass. This time, Sarr found Dia with a clear chance on goal, but Jordan Pickford came up with a massive save for the Three Lions.
But England struck on the counterattack in the 38th minute thanks to a goal from Henderson. In the Three Lions’ first real chance of the match, Bellingham roamed down the left wing on the counter and sent a low cross back across the box behind the Senegal defense to a charging Henderson, who dispatched the chance with ease for the lead.
England struck again on the counter right on the stroke of halftime with Harry Kane doubling the lead. In the 48th minute, Bellingham sparked the counterattack by unleashing Phil Foden down the left. Foden’s one-time pass found Kane wide open as the Spurs star settled his feet and blasted his shot by the keeper for the 2–0 lead.
For Kane, it was his 52nd goal for England, putting him just one shy of Wayne Rooney’s all-time men’s scoring record for the nation.
England didn’t have to wait long to secure a third goal with Saka adding to Senegal’s pain in the 57th minute. On another counterattack, Foden barreled down the left wing and slipped a pass between Kalidou Koulibaly’s legs that found Saka, whose pristine flick rolled into the back of the net.
Senegal had half a chance in the 74th minute off a free kick that Pape Sarr sent into the side netting. Not long after, England followed with another break as Rashford’s low cross just narrowly skipped past a sliding Kane in front of goal.
The result brings an end to the African champions’ run, with Morocco as the only representative of Africa left int the competition. Meanwhile, England will face France for the first time in five years in its first World Cup meeting since 1982.
