England eased to a 3-0 win over Senegal at Al Bayt Stadium in the FIFA World Cup to set up a mouth-watering quarterfinal clash with the defending champions France.
Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored one goal apiece as Sadio Mane’s absence finally caught up to the African champions.
Despite their talisman being absent, Senegal looked up to the task and nearly went ahead at the half-hour mark when Boulaye Dia caught England’s defence lacking and drew a smart save from Jordan Pickford.
Henderson calmed England’s nerves in the 38th minute after putting away a Jude Bellingham pass after a nifty team move before Kane added the team’s second just seconds before halftime.
The striker hammered a ferocious shot past Eduard Mendy which leaves him just a single goal behind Wayne Rooney’s record 53 for England.
Saka then wrapped up the win in the 57th minute when he got on to the end of a Phil Foden pass for England’s 12th goal of the tournament, the same amount they scored to get to the semifinals in Russia in 2018.
Senegal failed to threaten for the rest of the game as England cantered to the quarterfinal of the FIFA World Cup.
The victory also extended England’s all-time unbeaten run against African teams to 21 games, including eight in World Cups.
