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ENGLAND faced their first defeat under Thomas Tuchel, making it their first loss to an African team.
After taking an early lead with Harry Kane’s strike, Senegal mounted a robust comeback, scoring two goals, once before and once after the half-time break, during their friendly match at the City Ground.
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The Crystal Palace standout Ismaila Sarr leveled the score just before halftime.
After that, Habib Diarra found the net from a narrow angle, putting Senegal in the lead.
Jude Bellingham seemed to have equalized in the dying moments, but his close-range effort was ruled out due to a handball by Levi Colwill in the build-up.
A quick counter-attack from Senegal ended with Cheikh Sabaly scoring deep into injury time.
Consequently, England concluded the season on a disappointing note after securing a lackluster 1-0 win over Andorra previously, with just a year and a day until the World Cup.
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay evaluated the Three Lions players…
Dean Henderson: 6
In his third appearance for England, the Crystal Palace goalkeeper made several notable saves during the first half.
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The highlight was against Ismaila Sarr’s header, although he had no chance with Sarr’s goal just before halftime.
He might feel he should have done better on Senegal’s second goal, which came from a tight angle.
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Kyle Walker: 3
This marked Walker’s 96th cap, but his poor display raises concerns about his potential 97th.
Aside from a decent cross for Anthony Gordon, Walker looked uncharacteristically slow and lacked sharpness.
Sarr’s pace to get past him for the equalizer raised doubts about whether age is catching up to the 35-year-old veteran.
Trevoh Chalobah: 6
An average debut performance while matching up against fellow Chelsea player Nicolas Jackson.
Although he was caught out for the equalizer, when Jackson found space behind him to assist Sarr.
This marks only the third occasion in the last century that two brothers have represented England, following Nathaniel’s single cap in 2018.
Levi Colwill: 4
A lackluster outing for the Chelsea player on his fifth cap.
A careless pass was intercepted by Jackson early in the second half, serving as an early warning.
He then failed to track Habib Diarra, who received a long ball from Kalidou Koulibaly and went on to score.
Colwill’s handball also led to Bellingham’s disallowed goal after a VAR check.
Myles Lewis-Skelly: 5
He was absent when Koulibaly’s pass was routed into Senegal’s left-back area for their second goal.
While he didn’t make many errors, he also failed to make an impact, not stepping into midfield effectively.
At just 18, it’s surprising this performance felt underwhelming given his promising start.
Third cap.
Conor Gallagher: 5
A mixed performance for the Atletico Madrid player, one of four starters destined for the Club World Cup.
He was outpaced by Iliman Ndiaye, opted not to pass to Gordon when in an advantageous position, and was fortunate not to collect a yellow card for a tackle on Sarr.
However, he did assist Gordon for the shot leading to Kane’s opener.
Declan Rice: 5
Exhibited some careless passing, which can be expected in the final game of a long season.
No matter the outcome of this match, Rice is assured a starting spot in central midfield next summer.
The lingering question is, who will partner him?
Bukayo Saka: 5
This was his first appearance under Thomas Tuchel, having missed the first two games due to injury and being rested for the Andorra match.
This performance wasn’t particularly striking, but he was just returning from a strain.
He nearly equalized at 2-2, only to be denied by an outstanding save from Edouard Mendy.
Eberechi Eze: 7 (STAR MAN)
In a match lacking in quality, Eze stood out with flashes of brilliance.
He played a key role in winning the ball that led to Kane’s opening goal.
Additionally, the Crystal Palace star exhibited superb control on two occasions and delivered a delightful backheel for Morgan Gibbs-White.
Anthony Gordon: 5
Gordon’s international journey has been perplexing, showcasing glimpses of potential but lacking consistency.
This was his 12th cap, where he displayed rapid speed and aggressive pressing but fell short in finishing, missing a clear chance in the first half, leaving fans questioning his elite quality.
Harry Kane: 7
Kane was on target yet again, scoring his 73rd goal in 107 caps, matching Ashley Cole in appearances.
While he didn’t significantly contribute elsewhere, he remained the team’s most reliable passer, raising concerns for Tuchel regarding midfield strategy.
SUBS
Morgan Gibbs-White (for Gordon, 58): 6
Received the loudest reception upon entering the field in front of the City Ground crowd, and he unleashed a shot that was well saved.
Curtis Jones (for Gallagher, 58): 5
Missed the target with a shot shortly after coming on and lost possession leading to Senegal’s third goal.
Morgan Rogers (for Kane, 58): 6
Played upfront upon entering while Ivan Toney remained on the bench. He brought plenty of energy, although the team struggled to find him.
Noni Madueke (for Saka, 70): 7
His corner kick led to what appeared to be England’s equalizer until referee Stephanie Frappart overruled it after reviewing the monitor.
Jude Bellingham (for Rice, 70): 7
Thought he had scored after executing a clever touch and finish, yet the goal was disallowed due to Colwill’s handball.
Ivan Toney (for Lewis-Skelly, 87): 6
Made his first appearance since transferring to Saudi Arabia but had little time to make an impact, despite a history of late-game heroics.
MANAGER
Thomas Tuchel: 3
Tuchel’s initial defeat in his fourth match was well-earned.
Senegal outshone his team, which displayed a lack of creativity and defensive frailty.
Questions remain about his decisions to field veterans like Walker and Jordan Henderson in earlier matches.
Moreover, there’s confusion over Toney’s selection if he was given so little chance after Kane’s exit.
None of Tuchel’s four matches have been particularly impressive, but this performance was especially disappointing.
