Top News

Senegal Beats England, Depay Ties Dutch Record \ TezzBuzz \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ England suffered a 3-1 defeat to Senegal in a friendly, marking Thomas Tuchel’s first loss as national team coach. The match saw Senegal become the first African nation to beat England, while Memphis Depay tied the Dutch all-time scoring record. Finland beat Poland in a World Cup qualifier amid internal tensions and a medical delay.

Quick Looks

• England’s 3-1 loss to Senegal is Tuchel’s first defeat as manager.
• Kane scored his 73rd international goal but England failed to capitalize.
• Senegal became the first African team to beat England in history.
• Memphis Depay tied Robin van Persie’s Dutch scoring record with 50 goals.
• Finland beat Poland 2-1 despite a stadium medical emergency delay.
• Lewandowski sat out amid a captaincy dispute with Poland’s coach.
• Romania, Austria, and Serbia recorded wins in other qualifiers.
• England’s performance raised concerns with the World Cup approaching.

Deep Look

Boos echoed through the stadium Tuesday as England walked off the pitch following a stunning 3-1 defeat to Senegal — a match that not only marked the end of Thomas Tuchel’s perfect start as national team coach but also made history. The victory was Senegal’s first-ever win over Englandand the first time an African team has beaten the Three Lions.

Though England entered the friendly with confidence after wins over Andorra, Latvia, and Albania, this match exposed growing concerns ahead of the next World Cup. Captain Harry Kanethe lone starter retained from last week’s narrow 1-0 victory over Andorra, scored early but his team quickly unraveled.

Kane capitalized on an early mistake by Senegal’s keeper Edouard Mendybundling in a rebound to notch his record-extending 73rd goal for England in just the seventh minute. But what started as a promising outing soon turned into a frustrating lesson in discipline and urgency.

Senegal responded decisively. In the 40th minute, Nicolas Jackson chased a long ball and played it across goal for Ismila Harewho beat Kyle Walker for pace and fired past Dean Henderson to level the score. Moments later, Senegal went ahead when a speculative long pass to Habib Diarra deflected awkwardly off Henderson’s leg and into the net, putting England behind for the first time under Tuchel.

A brief glimmer of hope came in the 84th minute when Jude Bellingham appeared to have scored an equalizer from a corner, but Levi Colwill was judged to have committed a handball earlier in the buildup. Senegal sealed the win in stoppage time as Sheikh Sabaly finished a swift counterattack to make it 3-1.

“It’s a tough learning moment,” Tuchel admitted after the match. “We hate to lose, especially like this, but it’s something we need to learn from.” He had previously criticized his squad’s attitude despite wins, and the experimental lineup in this match did little to change the narrative.

Kane echoed his coach’s frustration, telling Sky Sports, “We’ve lost that aggressive nature we used to have. With September and the World Cup season coming, we need to start getting it right.”

Depay Equals Dutch Record in 8-0 Rout

While England stumbled, Memphis Depay made headlines for the right reasons. The Netherlands crushed Malta 8-0 in a World Cup qualifier, with Depay scoring twice to bring his tally to 50 goalsmatching the national record held by Robin van Persie. Depay hit the mark in his 102nd game, while van Persie needed 101 to reach the same milestone.

Depay’s goals in the 9th and 16th minutes set the tone for a dominant Dutch display that keeps them in strong contention in Group Gwhere they trail Finland by just one point — though with two games in hand.

Poland Falters Amid Lewandowski Feud

Elsewhere, Finland edged Poland 2-1 in a match overshadowed by both internal discord and a medical emergency that temporarily halted the game. The incident, which required immediate attention in the stands, paused play but the match resumed with Finland hanging on to secure a crucial win.

Poland, notably, were without Robert Lewandowskiwho has publicly declared he will no longer represent the national team under current head coach Michal Prdyk. The Barcelona star’s decision came after being stripped of the captaincy — a move that has shaken team morale.

This was Poland’s first match without their all-time top scorer since the announcement, and the effects were visible. The loss dropped them to third place in Group G, behind both Finland and the Netherlands. Only the group winner qualifies automatically for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; the second-place team must go through playoffs.

Roundup: Other European Qualifiers

In other European World Cup qualifiers held Tuesday:

• Austria comfortably beat San Marino 4-0.
• Romania earned a 2-0 win over Cyprus.
• Serbia shut out Andorra 3-0.
• Latvia and Albania played to a 1-1 draw.

As qualification continues, the focus sharpens for nations like England who are looking to iron out tactical flaws before the stakes get higher. Tuchel’s men now head into a break carrying both the weight of a historic loss and the pressure of expectations mounting fast.

More on Sports