Can Senegal Become The First African Nation To Beat England In the WC?

Senegal will be up against it when they face England in the FIFA World Cup last 16 at Al Bayt Stadium.

That is because England has never lost to the African opposition in the World Cup since their first appearance in the competition in 1950 which was held in Brazil.

England has met seven African nations in the World Cup and none of them have beaten them.

The Three Lions have met Tunisia (twice), Egypt, Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria, drawing just two of those matches and winning five of them.

The clash against Senegal will be the first time these two sides meet in any competition, with the Teranga Lions booking their place in the knockout stages after beating Ecuador to finish second in Group A on Tuesday. England, on the other hand, beat a poor Wales 3-0 in Group B to finish top to set up this tie.  

England World Cup results against African oppositions:

England 0-0 Morocco, 1986 Mexico World Cup group stage

England 1-0 Egypt (Mark Wright), 1990 Italy World Cup group stage

England 3-2 Cameroon (David Platt, Garry Lineker X2 ; Emmanuel Kunde, Ebelle Ekeke), FIFA Italy 1990World Cup quarter finals

England 2-0 Tunisia (Alan Shearer, Paul Scholes), 1998 France World Cup stage

Nigeria 0-0 England, 2002 South Korea/ Japan World Cup group stage  

England 0-0 Algeria, 2010 SA FIFA World Cup group stage

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Tunisia 1-2 England (Ferjani Sassi; Harry Kane X2), 2018 Russia World Cup group stage

On the other hand, Senegal have met six European nations in the World Cup, winning three (France, Sweden all 2002 WC and Poland 2018), losing only two (Turkey 2002, Netherlands in 2022) and drawing the other (Denmark in 2002). 

But England will know that this is the toughest of tests they have faced in this World Cup so far, even though Senegal are without their talisman Sadio Mane.