England set up a mouthwatering World Cup quarterfinal with France on Saturday, overcoming their early struggles to secure an emphatic 3-0 win over Senegal. The margin of victory rather flattered Gareth Southgate's side, who struggled to find any sort of rhythm in a first 30 minutes where their commitment to playing short invited a host of problems on them.
To their credit England eventually reacted, only after the outstanding Jude Bellingham had teed up Jordan Henderson for the opener, and further goals from Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka meant that with an hour played England could make plans for their great rival later this week. Senegal, meanwhile, will wonder what might have been if their great spell of pressure had not been punctured in such frustrating fashion.
The Three Lions started brightly at the Al Bayt Stadium, their advanced press allowing them to regain possession around the Senegal final third on more than one occasion early on without really testing Edouard Mendy's goal. Indeed the early opportunities came for the African champions, who preyed on clumsy passing out from the back by first Harry Maguire and then John Stones.
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The former might have slipped England away with an ambitious progressive pass but instead handed possession to Senegal. In a flash they were up the right, crossing for Boulaye Dia to strike against John Stones. Ismaila Sarr insisted there had been a handball before he spooned over but did so in the hope of absolution after a woeful miss.
Soon after Boulaye Dia drew an excellent save from Jordan Pickford as Senegal capitalised on an error from Buakyo Saka. England were at sea, unable to escape their own third, every man looking around in befuddlement at how few options they were being given. A goal was inevitable. It just came at the other end.
It was a reprise of the threat England had offered at the outset, Harry Kane drifting out to the left to create an overload that became too much for Senegal to bear when Jude Bellingham got involved too. Driving forward into the box he had options to his right and chose the right one, rolling the ball across the area to Jordan Henderson.
At the tender age of 19 Bellingham is proving his decision making aptitude on all the most important occasions. Picking the ball up in his own third he drove up the pitch and through a Senegal midfield that had looked to be extremely robust beforehand. At the right moment he slipped through Phil Foden, the ball flying on to Kane. He betrayed his impatience for a first World Cup goal with a thunderous strike across Edouard Mendy, the last act of a first half that might have gone disastrously different for England.
There was no such drama in the second, any semblance of Senegalese resistance ended with a flowing move down the left, Foden fizzing a cross through the legs of Kalidou Koulibaly for Bukayo Saka. Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy dropped to the deck to block the sidefoot shot but his Arsenal opponent saw it coming, lifting the ball into the net for his third goal of the World Cup, drawing him level with Marcus Rashford as the top scorer for the tournament's most freescoring side. One suspects they will need to add a few more to their tally if they are to overcome France on Saturday.
Sunday, Dec. 4
Once England burst through that Senegal press this really was as easy as you could wish for the Three Lions, who have been coasting through this match for about half an hour. They'll be facing France on Saturday, that should be a cracker.
He dives in despairing fashion to try to reach Rashford's cross from the right, very much in the fashion of Paul Gascoigne in Euro 96. The difference this time is it doesn't really matter that he can't get a boot on it.
What a finish this is from Saka... and such brilliant build up by Foden.
After 12 solid minutes the leaders click into gear in deadly fashion. Foden starts the move and picks it up again, drawing Koulibaly towards him and crossing low through his legs. Saka is waiting for it, knowing Mendy will go down he lifts his shot off the turf and into the net.
This scenario really suits England to a tee, they're not a team that is inclined to takes risks in a winning position and you can already see them dropping off a bit. Still Rice darts out of his holding midfield position to make a good tackle and slip in Saka. The pass is a little too heavy, however, and Saka can only miscue a shot on his right foot.
Unsurprisingly Aliou Cisse has opted to go for broke, bringing two midfielders and a forward on in the form of Pape Sarr, Pape Gueye and Bamba Dieng. It's Diatta, Ndiaye and Ciss who make way.
England lead by two at the break. Here is how they got there:
Bellingham picks the ball up on the edge of the box and goes. And goes. And goes. When he's ready he slips in Foden, who plays the ball on to Kane. You know what's coming as he bears down on goal, thumping the ball across Mendy and into the net. England lead 2-0 going into the break.
England end the half on top with Saka teeing Kane up only for him to spur a great chance for a second by looping the ball over. Suddenly the good things England offered early on are back with Shaw pressing high and winning the ball on the edge of the Senegal third only to carry it too far and spurn a great chance. England are being far more direct, right up to Pickford sending his goal kicks long. They were in a really troubling position a few minutes ago but to their credit they have reacted.
Totally against the run of play England fly into the lead. It's that left flank where they had been getting joy earlier in the half. Bellingham drifts out there and collects the through ball from Kane. He carries it forward and has Henderson in support as he charges into the box to roll the ball into the bottom corner.
England are starting to grow frustrated with all the possession they're being afforded at the center back positions. Stones and Maguire have no easy avenues to passes -- where is Henderson when his team mates need an outlet? -- and both have clumsily conceded possession in the last few minutes. For now the African champions look the most likely to score.
Senegal's pressure forces another mistake from Saka, who tries to keep the ball in but only gives it to Sarr. He slips in Dia, whose shot is fired into the turf, bouncing up awkwardly and drawing a smart save from Pickford.
Maguire sees a chance to get England flying up the pitch but he gives his pass away and seconds later Senegal are flying down the right. Dia meets the cross with his right boot but Stones' deflection slows it. The ball lands at Sarr's feet but from close range all he can do is lift it over the bar. A real let off for England.
After a strong start by England Senegal have dropped deeper, refusing to press the opposition center backs but man marking Rice to make it harder for Stones and Maguire to find quick exit roots. It has led to a lumpy start to this match but England still have that ace in the hole of set piece delivery, Stones winning a header at the front post but failing to direct it on target.
Twice already England have won the ball off Senegal in or just outside their final third, Bellingham and Henderson really given licence to snap high up the pitch. On the second occasion they get a free kick from a foul on Bellingham, one that Shaw knocks delicately to Rice down the byline. His hook back into the area can't quite find Kane.
England's approach may well get them chances but it also opens up avenues down the middle, one of which Dia nearly exploits early on. He has the pace to get away from Maguire and Stones but his touch lets him down in the box.
As the countdown begins England take the knee. As the game gets going Pickford is handed an awkward back pass that he needs to pump long, however the team in white survive and are actually pressing with a more notable intensity than they did from the off against Wales and the USA. They enjoy a little spell of possession after they win it back and twice Shaw attempts to spring Foden down the left to no avail.
Kick off is only a few minutes away!
Here's what Gareth Southgate had to say before kick off, starting with why Marcus Rashford has dropped to the bench after scoring two goals against Wales:
"It's great to be able to have him in the game as it opens up," said the England manager. "We have an embarrassment of riches in that position. We've liked Bukayo's performances and we think Phil and him deserve their opportunities.
"[Senegal are] very direct, they've got pace, they're athletic and they're well organised. They've got the mentality of a team of champions, we've seen that in their game.
"We've got to play our way. We've got to play to our strengths. We've shown what we're about in the tournament and we've got to show that tonight."
Every single one of our writers has gone for England in this game (bulletin board material for Senegal perhaps?) with a lot of talk about a one or two-nil win for the Three Lions. Here, for reference, is my predicted bracket, already spoiled by the USMNT. It also gives you a sense of how loaded with European talent this particular side of the draw is. We seem to be bound for two local rival matches, England against France and the battle of Iberia as Spain face off against Portugal. Still the absence of Argentina and Brazil is probably rather welcome for these teams.
Whichever of these ends up victorious they know that they face a mammoth task in the quarterfinals, where they must attempt to end France's reign at the top of the global game. That looks all the harder after an impressive 3-1 win over Poland in which Olivier Giroud broke the men's scoring record for Les Bleus, one that will surely be broken again by Kylian Mbappe again in the years to come.
Questions have been raised as to the status of the coach, Cisse, who missed his press conference on Friday due to illness.
"He has been sick for a couple of days now," said his assistant Regis Bogaert. "He let us take charge of training yesterday, obviously with his instructions we got across to the players.
"Hopefully [Sunday] he will be able to come and be on the bench with the players. I am sure that ... he will be there with the team." The absence of Gueye might be a big miss for a team that has already had to labor without the talismanic Sadio Mane in this tournament but they will feel that Ismaila Sarr and Amath Ndiaye have enough in their locker to test England on the flanks.
England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Henderson, Bellingham; Saka, Kane, Foden
Senegal XI: Edouard Mendy; Sabaly, Koulibaly, Diallo, Ciss; Jakobs, Sarr, Nampalys Mendy; Diatta, Ndiaye, Dia
Raheem Sterling has dropped out of the England squad for tonight's game, the FA have confirmed. He is dealing with a family matter. Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden are expected to start on the wings.
Another round of 16 game and this should be quite an intriguing one. England now know that France lie in wait for them but will Senegal now be extra motivated by the chance to eliminate the French in the quarter finals? This may not be as full of goals as Sunday's earlier game but the tension should be ratcheted up a fair few levels this afternoon.
