Cheikh Sabaly’s clinical finish at the City Ground on Tuesday sealed a momentous 3-1 win for Senegal over England, marking the first time an African nation has ever beaten the Three Lions in 22 attempts.
Led by coach Pape Thiaw, Senegal overturned an early deficit after Harry Kane gave England the lead in the friendly match. Goals from Ismaila Sarr and Habib Diarra turned the tide before Sabaly added the decisive third, etching the result into the history books.
“Fantastic night. We knew we could do something in this game,” Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly told BBC Radio 5 Live. “It was a tough game, but we showed our personality and showed we can play at this level.”
Koulibaly compared the landmark win to Senegal’s 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) triumph.
“It is fantastic. We are not used to making history – we made it when we won Afcon, and we made it again tonight,” he said. “We want to continue writing Senegal’s story. We wanted to show we are a great footballing nation.”
Since their penalty shootout loss to Ivory Coast in the last-16 of Afcon 2024, Senegal remains unbeaten. Under Thiaw, who took over in December 2024, the team has recorded two wins and two draws.
Four of Senegal’s starting eleven play in the Premier League, with former Chelsea duo Edouard Mendy and Koulibaly bringing top-flight experience to the squad.
According to Opta, England had previously won 15 and drawn six of their 21 matches against African opposition. The closest call came in 1990 when a late Steve Bull equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw against Tunisia in a pre-World Cup friendly. Later that year, England narrowly escaped Cameroon’s grasp in the World Cup quarter-finals, winning 3-2 in extra time.
The last time England suffered a first-ever loss to a nation from another continent was in 2003, when Australia stunned them 3-1 at Upton Park.
Senegal’s triumph marks a new milestone for African football and a defining moment in the nation’s sporting legacy.
