DPA
Al Khor
Captain Harry Kane scored at last at the Qatar World Cup on Sunday when he helped England beat Senegal 3-0 and send them into a quarter-final against title holders France.
England overcame two big scares before Jordan Henderson opened the scoring in the 38th. Kane ended the half by making it 2-0, and Boukayo Saka wrapped up the last 16 tie in the 57th.
Kane’s goal - after he had not found the net in the group stage - moved him within one of Wayne Rooney’s England record 53 goals.
He also moved ahead of Gary Linekar as England’s leading scorer at big events with now 11 goals at World Cups and Euros.
The Tottenham forward was in fine form in Al Khor along with teenager Jude Bellingham who had played a starring role in the first two goals, and Phil Foden, who had two assists.
"Knock-out games are never easy but we have shown great maturity throughout the tournament. Mentality was top from the beginning and we took our chances throughout the game,” Kane said.
Looking at his goal, he said: "I’m a striker, so whenever I score I’m always happy.” Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal, without their injured superstar Sadio Mane, will lament missing big chances from Ismaila Sarr and Bouyale Dia when the score was 0-0.
They failed to reach the quarter-finals as they had in 2002, and instead England will now face mighty France on Saturday, after Kylian Mbappe’s brace helped Les Bleus beat Poland 3-1 earlier Sunday.
The two sides have met twice before at the World Cup, both in group games which England won 2-0 en route to the 1966 title and 3-1 in 1982.
"They are true champions. It will be a good battle,” Kane said, with Foden adding: "They look like the strongest in the competition up to now. We back ourselves every day and we are confident.” Raheem Sterling missed the game because was dealing with "a family matter” while Marcus Rashford had to return to the subs’ bench despite his two goals Tuesday against Wales, with manager Gareth Southgate preferring Saka up front alongside Kane and Foden.
Senegal coach Aliou Cissé made two changes, with Nampalys Mendy in for the suspended Idrissa Gueye and Krepin Diatta taking the place of Pape Gueye.
England were in early control, without creating serious danger against a firm Senegal defence, but almost caught out twice after individual mistakes.
Harry Maguire lost the ball in the 23rd, Dia’s attempt on the following attack hit Stones but the ball fell to Sarr, who shot over from close range under pressure from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Eight minutes later Saka gave up the ball in his half, Sarr fed Dia whose left angle attempt was denied by Pickford’s left arm.
However, England then hit back to take the lead in the 38th when Kane split the Senegal defence to Bellingham, who squared from the left for the Liverpool midfielder Henderson to fire home a low shot.
"The first 35 minutes were tough, they were compact and tough to get through. They got in a few times down the sides so it was one of those games where we knew we had to get the first goal,” Bellingham told ITV.
The goal restored England’s confidence, and Kane then broke his Qatar duck on the last play of the half.
Borussia Dortmund’s Bellingham won the ball at his own penalty area, started the counter attack by releasing Foden who crossed for Kane to smash past Mendy with a confident finish.
"I don’t want to big him up too much because he is still young but he’s one of the most gifted players I have ever seen. He has no weakness in his game. I think he will be the best midfielder in the world,” Foden said in praise of Bellingham.
And any Senegal comeback hopes were over in the 57th when Saka chipped home for 3-0 off another cross from Foden, and the Euro 2020 runners-up then coasted home to their third clean sheet in a row after an opening 6-2 win against Iran.
"We’ve shown we can score goals, we can be clinical when it matters.
We’ve shown we can keep a clean sheet and if we want to win the next one that will be important,” Bellingham said.