England head coach Thomas Tuchel has pointed to defensive lapses as the key reason behind his team’s 3-1 defeat to Senegal in an international friendly match.
England took an early lead through captain Harry Kane, but the advantage was short-lived as Senegal bounced back with goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra, and Cheikh Sabaly to secure a convincing win.
Speaking after the match, Tuchel admitted his side paid the price for poor defending. “We conceded the first two goals – very easy goals. We need to defend better,” he said.
Despite the disappointing result, Tuchel highlighted the improved performance of his players in the second half. “We became more active, more free, more fluent, and more aggressive after going behind,” he noted. “We had big chances to equalise, but unfortunately we couldn’t take them.”
The loss raises questions about England’s defensive structure ahead of upcoming international fixtures. However, Tuchel remained optimistic about the team’s overall development and promised improvements going forward.
