VAR controversy as Senegal become first African team to beat England

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Friendly

England 1-3 Senegal

City Ground, Nottingham

Amazingly, in all these years of football, Senegal have tonight become the first African team to beat England.

However, the match at the City Ground in Nottingham has been marred by controversy after the female French referee disallowed, through the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), an England equaliser because of a handball. The decision, however, seems very harsh. Had the goal been allowed to stand the outcome of the match may have been different.

It's also England's first defeat and goals conceded under new German manager Thomas Tuchel.

England are ranked 4th and Senegal 19th in the world rankings.

It was, though, just a friendly at Premier League club Nottingham Forest's ground and the result doesn't really matter.

 

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"They don't look happy"

Former Arsenal and England player Ian Wright and former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland player Roy Keane condemn England's disallowed goal but say that the world's 4th best team - losing finalists of the last two European Championships - "don't look happy."

England's previous match before tonight was a 1-0 win in a 2026 World Cup Qualifier on Saturday - but that was against Andorra, a tiny nation sandwiched between France and Spain that barely appears on maps that we were expected to score six against.

Tonight Senegal became the first African team to beat England - but their victory is marred in controversy. Thankfully it was just a friendly.