England might be preparing for their first-ever meeting with Senegal in Al Khor on Sunday but they have become more than familiar with African opposition at World Cup tournaments over the last few decades.
Some of England’s most pivotal World Cup experiences of recent times have featured games against the likes of Cameroon, Algeria and Tunisia, even if not all of the fixtures have shown the Three Lions in their greatest light.
Here’s a recap of England’s previous World Cup clashes with African teams...
ENGLAND 0-0 MOROCCO – Group F, Mexico 1986
England were impotent going into their first clash with African opponents, having not scored in 333 minutes of World Cup football since Trevor Francis’ winner against Kuwait in the first group stage in Spain four years earlier.
The drought continued in a lifeless display remembered only for the 120 seconds just before half-time during which they lost captain Bryan Robson to one of his many shoulder dislocations and then Ray Wilkins was sent off for throwing the ball at Paraguayan referee Gabriel Gonzalez over a debatable offside call.
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ENGLAND 1-0 EGYPT – Group F, Italy 1990
The Three Lions found themselves in the tightest of groups as they prepared to meet Egypt in Cagliari, with all four Group F fixtures to that point having ended in a draw.
Bobby Robson brought in second-tier Wolves’ Steve Bull rather than David Platt for the injured Bryan Robson as England looked to be more clinical in the final third but it took a Mark Wright header from Paul Gascoigne’s left-wing free-kick to separate the sides in another close contest.
CAMEROON 2-3 ENGLAND – Quarter-final, Italy 1990
Definitely the most memorable of England’s clashes with African opposition, and quite possibly one of their most iconic fixtures against any team in their World Cup history.
Even early on, the outsiders caused England problems but Platt’s header settled any nerves. That was until Cameroon brought on four-goal revelation Roger Milla at half-time and suddenly upped the tempo. Gascoigne brought down Milla for a penalty converted by Emmanuel Kunde, and within three minutes Eugene Ekeke took his fellow substitute’s pass to lift the ball over the advancing Peter Shilton.
England were seven minutes away from ignominy when Gary Lineker was fouled by Benjamin Massing, and the number 10 kept his cool from the spot. He was at it again in extra time after another Massing foul as he attempted to go around keeper Thomas Nkono, slamming home from 12 yards to send his nation to a first semi-final on foreign soil.
“We didn’t underestimate them, they were just a lot better than we thought,” manager Robson would bafflingly admit later.
ENGLAND 2-0 TUNISIA – Group G, France 1998
The pre-match buzz ahead of England’s opener in ’98 was all about David Beckham’s “lack of focus” – not our words Carol, the words of England manager Glenn Hoddle. Having appeared in almost every game in the last two years, Beckham was dropped for the match in Marseille soon after the exclusion of Gascoigne had also made front-page news.
But goals at the end of either half postponed the national debate for another few days, with Alan Shearer heading home the first from Graeme Le Saux’s free-kick, then Paul Scholes made the game safe late on with a delightful 20-yard finish after Paul Ince’s backheel pass.
NIGERIA 0-0 ENGLAND – Group F, South Korea/Japan 2002
Not the most compelling game, this one. Having beaten Argentina in their second Group F match, Sven Goran Eriksson’s side had only to match the Albiceleste’s result against Sweden when they faced already-eliminated Nigeria in Osaka.
The game kicked off at 3:30pm in the stifling Japanese heat, making for a slow-tempo encounter, and news of Sweden’s opener in Miyagi only heightened the indifference displayed by both sets of players. Argentina’s late equaliser against the Swedes made no odds, with an instantly-forgettable goalless stalemate sending England through.
ENGLAND 0-0 ALGERIA – Group C, South Africa 2010
Another tepid one, this time coming just when England really needed a convincing display having thrown away a lead against USA thanks to THAT Rob Green error.
David James was called into the side but the performance was soporific as the tail end of England’s ‘Golden Generation’ was held by a very poor Algeria side who would leave the competition without a goal to their name. It was so bad the travelling fans booed their team from the field, leading Wayne Rooney to react to BBC’s cameras as he left the field, “Nice to see your home fans booing you, that’s what I call a supporter.”
TUNISIA 1-2 ENGLAND – Group G, Russia 2018
For a long time this looked likely to join the list of ignominious England performances against African opposition, but Harry Kane’s late winner in Volgograd got their group campaign off to a winning start.
The captain had opened the scoring by tidying up the loose ball after a John Stones header had been saved, but Kyle Walker’s swinging arm on Fakhreddine Ben Youssef allowed Ferjani Sassi to equalise from the spot. And so to injury time, when Kieran Trippier’s right-wing corner was met by Harry Maguire, whose header was nodded home at the far post by Kane. Oh, the relief!
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