England have made it into the 2022 World Cup with victory in the Round of 16 – England v Senegal clash which they did comfortably in the end, but not after Senegal gave them a run for their money early.
Round of 16 England v Senegal Match Review
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
4′ Min First half chance of the game to Senegal’s Boulaye Dia charges into the box, but before he can get his final shot away he is covered by the English defence.
5′ Min TV crosses for the now mandatory shot of Gianni Infantino sitting on the sideline. Different game, same outcome for us, he can go and f…………
6′ Min Meanwhile Jude Bellingham takes his second kicking of the match already and wins a free kick. There’s a post free kick scramble and Senegal do well to clear their line and penalty box from the threats.
7′ Min More “playing out from the back” nonsense from Senegal this time. And they are almost punished for it. Australia proved an extra couple of passes means stuff all when you go a goal down.
12′ Min Harry Kane takes puts in a ball across the face of the Senegal goal, which isn’t all that important, but what is important is the way the Senegal keeper Mendy looked all Clash with it, you know, Should I Stay or Should I Go. He was uncertain what to do with it for a second time in the match. You know that’s locked into Harry Kane’s mind so preparing for more. I guess Mendy has decided that staying is worth the double trouble.
21′ Min First bit of action in a while and it is a corner to England. Foden delivers and Stones gets the header away, which ironically floats like a balloon over the crossbar.
22′ Min What a chance for Senegal. Somehow Ismailia Sarr misses from a few metres. Sure he still had the keeper to beat, but that would have been difficult for Pickford to save. Senegal are holding their own here, and getting almost as many chances as England. You get the feeling the longer this goes on the more likely England will lose on penalties.
31′ Min Shot on target from Boulaye Dia and great save from Jordan Pickford. England didn’t do well handling a rampaging Ismailia Sarr in their half before the shot, and they do look a little shaky in defence. Attack less so where they look patient and composed.
38′ Min GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL FOR ENGLAND
England attack down the left through Jude Bellingham and he crosses into the box and finds an unmarked Jordan Henderson who easily puts away the chance for the game’s first goal.
ENGLAND 1 SENEGAL 0
40′ Min England nearly double down in quick time as Saka crosses for Kane who puts his attempt over the bar, which should leave his permanent scowl intact.
45′ +2 Min GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL FOR ENGLAND
Harry Kane turns that scowl into a grimace with England’s second goal. It is a counter attack special with the ever brilliant Bellingham tearing up the middle, then finding Foden on the left who then feeds Harry Kane back in the middle, and Kane does what he does best most of the time and puts it away.
HALF TIME – ENGLAND 2 SENEGAL 0
56′ Min First decent piece of action in the second half as Harry Kane takes a shot from distance. It went like a rocket, straight to the keeper. He saves.
59′ Min GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL FOR ENGLAND
Phil Foden charges down the left and provides the perfect cross in for Bakayo Saka to tap home beating Mendy which doesn’t seem much of a challenge today. Third goal, game over. Just the margin to sort out now, and we doubt it will stay at three.
ENGLAND 3 SENEGAL 0
73′ Min Senegal go close to scoring a goal with Pape Matar Sarr just missing to the right.
76′ Min Kalidou Koulibaly gets a yellow card for running into the back of Harry Kane. We’re wondering if the yellow cards might be the most interesting thing left in the game. Harry Kane is left wondering what the number plate of the car that hit him was.
84′ Min Good to see the Senegal fans still dancing, singing, playing brass instruments. Good the England fans are happy too, that should mean a lot less racism on social media tonight. Everyone wins.
87′ Min Corner for Senegal. No goal for Senegal. But at least they are still giving it a decent crack. They are currently drawing the last third of the game with England, which is something to take home.
90′ Min Four minutes of added time can’t come quick enough for everyone. England to preserve injuries and a clean sheet, Senegal who are 3-0 down, and those watching in the Pacific region who have been up since the early morning and need to start their working week.
90′ +2 Min Free kick for Senegal just outside the box. They Pink Floyd it and we move on. Until they win a corner too. One last chance to score and make it a 3-1 daily double. They don’t this time, but remain on the attack.
90′ +4′ Min Just one more corner for Senegal then. One more chance missed and that’s the game.
Senegal were right in the game early, and arguably slightly on top. But England took their chances well and once 2-0 up at half time saw the game off in a professional manner. Onwards to a super game in the Quarter Finals against France.
Final Score
ENGLAND 3
Jordan Henderson 38′ Harry Kane 45′ +2 Bakayo Saka 59′
SENEGAL 0
HT England 2-0
Player of the Match
Jude Bellingham
Round of 16 England v Senegal Match Stats
Round of 16 England v Senegal Starting Teams
TEAM (4-3-3)
1 Pickford
2 Walker
5 Stones
6 Maguire
3 Shaw
8 Henderson
4 Rice
22 Bellingham
17 Saka
9 Kane
20 Foden
TEAM (4-3-3)
16 E. Mendy
21 Sabaly
3 Koulibaly
22 Diallo
14 Jakobs
11 Ciss
6 N. Mendy
15 Diatta
13 Ndiaye
18 Sarr
9 Dia
