Fans may have feared the worse if Harry Kane failed to score in either of England’s World Cup group games. Instead, as Southgate’s Three Lions prepare for Sunday’s last-16 match against Senegal, the Lions of Teranga, at Al Bayt Stadium, there is a rising sense of hope. Kane, who is only two goals behind Wayne Rooney for most goals scored for a country, has yet to find his footing in Qatar, barely managing a shot on goal.
The England captain, who led all scorers at the 2018 World Cup with six goals, has not benefited from a foot injury sustained in the opening victory against Iran. His goalless streak, though, hasn’t stopped the team from advancing without incident to the knockout phase. In reality, Kane’s inability to locate the target might be seen as a success.
With the help of their other forwards—none more so than the revitalized Marcus Rashford of Manchester United, who has three goals so far—England has still managed to score nine goals. In addition to Kane, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, and Bukayo Saka have scored goals, giving Southgate options for his forward line-up against Senegal. However, it is improbable that he would not start with Kane.
England cruised through their group, unlike some of the other favorites in this World Cup, who had some nerve-wracking moments. But now, according to Southgate, the real work starts. The African Cup of Nations champion Senegal came in second in Group A, trailing The Netherlands. That was in spite of the heartbreak of Sadio Mane’s exclusion from the tournament.
“These games are now knockout rounds. You get to stay here if you win. Aliou Cisse, the coach of Senegal, said, “If you lose, you go home. Today’s team has expertise. Together, they have experienced a lot, and they know how to prepare for games like this one as well as others like it, Cisse continued. Cisse, though, has been under the weather and is feverish. He also skipped Friday’s team practise.
However, he intends to watch his team play on Sunday from the sidelines. An art of deception-based card game is fostering closer bonds among England’s players, who have a history of flattering to mislead during big soccer events. The team now enjoys playing the role-playing and deduction game Werewolf in between rounds. Declan Rice, a midfielder, said, “It’s about being the best liar.
The wolves must lie and explain to everyone why they are not wolves in order for the villagers to put an end to the wolves. There is a lot of ganging up and teamwork.At least so far, whatever England is doing at its base in Qatar is working. Only three teams remain unbeaten, and no team gained more than the seven points England did on their path to the knockout phase.