England will take an unbeaten file in opposition to African opposition into Sunday’s World Cup last-16 conflict in opposition to Senegal – the primary assembly between the 2 international locations.
It shall be England’s twenty first conflict in opposition to an African crew, the final coming in March in opposition to Senegal’s regional rivals Ivory Coast, who a second-string England simply beat 3-0 at Wembley.
But it was greater than three many years in the past that England had their most memorable encounter in opposition to an African facet, combating again from 2-1 down versus Cameroon to win 3-2 after further time within the 1990 World Cup quarter-final.
The Indomitable Lions have been seven minutes away from persevering with their upset run at Italia ’90 when tough-tackling defender Benjamin Massing gave away a penalty by fouling Gary Lineker, who transformed to take the sport to further time.
Cameroon goalkeeper Thomas N’Kono then conceded a spot kick when he introduced down Lineker who netted the penalty to place England within the semi-finals.
Morocco was England’s first African opponents at a World Cup in 1986 when a 0-0 draw at Monterrey proved a breakthrough outcome for African soccer. Morocco completed forward of England of their group, however each went via to the following stage.
There has additionally been goalless stalemates in opposition to Nigeria in Osaka in 2002 and Algeria in Cape Town in 2010.
England beat Egypt on the 1990 World Cup in Cagliari and Tunisia twice within the 1998 and 2018 editions.
The 1998 conflict in Marseille was overshadowed by fan violence with at the very least 32 folks injured in three days of combating between England supporters and gangs from Marseille’s north African neighborhood.
England’s different African opponents have been Ghana and South Africa in pleasant internationals.
If any England gamers want recommendation on scoring in opposition to an African crew forward of Sunday’s conflict they want look no additional than their supervisor Gareth Southgate.
He took all of 36 seconds to go dwelling a David Beckham free kick in opposition to South Africa in a 2003 pleasant in Durban that England received 2-1.
