LONDON: Thomas Tuchel has an added label after being the first German to manage England: he is also the first boss to see his team lose to an African team in the 22nd meeting.

England fans at the City Ground in Nottingham were not impressed by a 3-1 defeat to Senegal to which the three Lions succumbed despite taking an early lead through Harry Kane.

Captain Kane was the only starting survivor from the laboured weekend World Cup win away to Andorra but the rest of the team made little impact in a strange 4-4-2 formation which made as much sense as Tuchel’s out-of-position choices against Andorra.

The Football Association must have hoped that Tuchel would provide the added extra adjustment to turn Gareth Southgate’s nearly men into prize winners. The evidence thus far – albeit after only four games – is that Tuchel had turned the clock back a long way.

Kane struck his 73rd England goal after seven minutes when keeper Edouard Mendy failed to hold Anthony Gordon’s shot, but it was as good as it got.

Dean Henderson, in for regular keeper Jordan Pickford, was kept busy as the hosts struggled away from their usual Wembley base, and Senegal drew level five minutes before the break when Kyle Walker switched off to allow Ismaila Sarr to steal in at the far post.

It was the first goal England had conceded under Tuchel in four games, and Senegal probed England’s defensive vulnerability throughout. The visitors took the lead their dominance merited when Habib Diarra exploited space behind England’s defence to beat Henderson, firing through his legs at the near post just after the hour.

England went in search of an equaliser, with Mendy making amends for his earlier error by producing fine saves from substitute Morgan Gibbs-White and Bukayo Saka.

Tuchel’s side also had a late strike from Jude Bellingham ruled out for handball against Levi Colwill after a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention.

But Senegal wrapped up the win in the dying seconds of stoppage time when substitute Curtis Jones lost possession, allowing Sabaly to finish England off with a cool finish, sparking an angry reaction from the home supporters who remained inside the City Ground.

England had 15 wins and six draws from their previous 21 matches against African opponents, but here they were well beaten in the end. The storm of booing that greeted Tuchel and his England players at the final whistle summed up a miserable night.

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