England and Senegal, two teams who have shown intent in scoring in the group stage, will square off in the Round of 16. This is anticipated to be one of the most interesting ones to watch in the knockout stages as the Three Lions face off against the Lions of Teranga.
England scored nine goals in three matches in the group stage, showing great quality to score. Six out of their nine goals came against Iran and three against Wales. The England vs USA match ended in a goalless draw. Senegal triumphed against Qatar and Ecuador after the opening match of the campaign against the Netherlands 0-2.
As England face the African champions, things won’t be easy. They won the tournament only once in 1966. Since then, they have not managed to even reach the finals, which is odd for a prominent team like England. They finished fourth at FIFA 2018 in Russia, having been beaten to Croatia in the semis and to Belgium in the third-position match. This time, however, they are riding strong on scoring prowess. Scoring six goals against Iran and three against Wales were not easy even though a goalless draw against the USA was a little disappointing for the fans.
Senegal will be aware that, if they defeat England, it would be their first time to win three games in a single world cup. This is their third appearance in a world cup, and they look impressive this time. They do not depend on any particular player as five of them have scored in this tournament so far. Their 2-1 victory against Ecuador was especially impressive. They will prepare to shock many as they lock horns with the European squad.
England vs Senegal match will be played on December 5 at 12:30 AM (Indian time) in the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor.
