England looks to advance to the quarterfinals at the FIFA World Cup for the fifth time in their past six tournament appearances when they take on Senegal on Sunday in Round of 16 action at Qatar 2022. The Three Lions finished atop Group B with a 2-1-0 record, capped by Tuesday’s one-sided 3-0 win over Wales. Senegal makes its first knockout-stage appearance since 2002 after claiming second in Group A with Tuesday’s narrow 2-1 win over Ecuador.
England has faded slightly since opening as a heavy -200 favorite but still leads the way as -192 chalk in Sunday’s contest. Senegal lags as a distant +650 underdog, while the total has held steady since opening at 2.25.
Sunday afternoon’s matchup marks the first-ever meeting between these national teams. England enjoyed a steady 8-2-0 run through UEFA World Cup qualifying and remained undefeated in group-stage action. The Three Lions have potted 12 goals during their current four-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, after scoring just one goal during a dismal five-match winless run through the latest round of UEFA Nations League action.
The Senegalese earned a second straight trip to the World Cup with a steady 6-1-1 run through qualifying and rediscovered their scoring touch by racking up five total goals in group-stage wins over Qatar and Ecuador.
Rashford Leading England’s Attack
After failing to seal a berth in the knockout stage while settling for a scoreless draw with the United States in Group B matchday 2 action, the Three Lions were once again held off the scoresheet during the first half of Tuesday’s date with Wales. However, English shooters finally found the mark after the break, scoring twice in two minutes on their way to a decisive 3-0 victory.
Once again, Marcus Rashford led the English attack, opening the scoring with a goal in the 50th minute and adding a second marker in the 68th minute to put things out of reach. Rashford now leads the squad with three goals in the tournament and has racked up six total goals in his past nine outings split between the national side and Manchester United.
Harry Kane, the squad’s leading goal scorer with 12 during qualifying, has taken on the role of playmaker so far at this tournament. Kane has yet to find the back of the net in Qatar and has potted just two goals over his past 10 international appearances. However, he leads the tourney with three assists after failing to record a helper in qualifying or in recent Nations League action.
Can Senegal Maintain Distributed Scoring?
Pegged at No. 18 in the FIFA rankings, Senegal faces a huge task in its bid to return to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in two decades. The Lions of Teranga faced little opposition in their group-stage victories over Qatar and Ecuador, piling up 27 shots while outscoring their opponents by a 5-1 margin.
Senegal has enjoyed contributions from up and down the lineup, with five different players finding the back of the nest so far at the tournament. That list includes striker Famara Diedhiou, who emerged as the team’s leading goal scorer in qualifying but had endured an eight-match scoring drought with the national side before bulging the twine against Qatar.
While the Lions of Teranga fell well short in their tournament-opening 2-0 loss to the Netherlands, this squad has managed to consistently hold their own when facing European opponents, earning the win in six of their past 11, including a 2-1 victory over Poland in the group stage at Russia 2018.
England Vs Senegal Game Prop: Half Time/Full Time – Draw/England
England has demonstrated its ability to fill the net during their four-match unbeaten streak. However, goals before the half have come at a premium for the Three Lions. Their dominating performance in their tournament-opening rout of Iran marks the only contest out of their past nine in which they have found the net in the first 45. Considering Senegal’s recent strong play in their own end, expect the Lions of Teranga to force the Three Lions to earn the lead in Sunday’s contest.
England: Keys To Win
The Three Lions are likely to set the tempo and press early in a bid to establish an early lead. However, this squad must avoid overconfidence and sloppy play against a Senegalese squad that will patiently await its opportunity to strike. Considering the English have just one win in their past seven when giving up the first goal, maintaining discipline early on will be crucial.
Senegal: Keys To Win
The Lions of Teranga showed great poise in the face of a second-half rally by Ecuador in Tuesday’s group-stage finale, bouncing back to pot the match-winner just three minutes after allowing the Tricolor to tie the score. In addition to sticking to a game plan that is most likely focused on defense first, this team will benefit from continued offensive contributions from the supporting cast, particularly in the absence of superstar Sadio Mane.
Senegal is 10-0-3 in its last 13 non-friendly matches.
England is 4-0-2 in its last 6 World Cup Round of 16 matches.
England is unbeaten in 7 World Cup matches vs African opponents.
