Boos rang out as England left the field after a 3-1 loss to Senegal in a friendly Tuesday which marked the first defeat of Thomas Tuchel’s tenure as coach.
Senegal recovered from conceding Harry Kane’s early goal to become the first team from Africa to record a victory over England.
“We’re not going to panic. But for sure we know we need to do better,” England captain Kane told broadcaster ITV and suggested England had lost “that aggressive nature that we’ve had.”
In World Cup qualifying Tuesday, the Netherlands beat Malta 8-0 and Austria beat San Marino 4-0.
Kane was the only player retained in Tuchel’s starting line-up from last week’s 1-0 win over Andorra, which had caused Tuchel to criticize his team’s attitude. The changes brought little improvement.
Kane’s record-extending 73rd England goal gave his team the lead in the seventh minute, when he bundled in after a goalkeeping error by Edouard Mendy.
Senegal was a step above over Tuchel’s previous England opponents Albania, Latvia and Andorra, and England conceded for the first time in his tenure in the 40th minute.
Nicolas Jackson chased down a long pass and hooked it back for the onrushing Ismaila Sarr to score after having outpaced Kyle Walker.
Senegal’s second goal followed a long ball to Habib Diarra, who seemed to be attempting a pass of his own when the ball deflected in off goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s leg.
Jude Bellingham thought he’d leveled the game for England with a goal at a corner in the 84th but it was ruled out for an earlier handball by Levi Colwill. Senegal made it 3-1 when Cheikh Sabaly finished off a counter in stoppage time.