Covering the World Cup for ITV Sport (4/12/2022, 7:45 pm), football pundit Roy Keane praised Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane for his goal against Senegal, but did describe the England captain’s first half performance as ‘sluggish.’
Having qualified at the top of Group B, England faced a Senegal side who had impressed in the group stages. No game in the knockout stage of the World Cup is ever going to be easy, but the Three Lions had a fairly comfortable night in Qatar.
(Photo by Mike Hewitt – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
England won 3-0, thanks to goals from Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka. The game was ultimately won in the first half, with Gareth Southgate’s men going in to the break two to the good after Kane’s goal in stoppage time.
That was Kane’s first goal of the tournament, and took his tally to 52 international goals in 79 games (Transfermarkt).
While Kane may have picked up the Player of the Match award, and applied a cool finish for his goal, Roy Keane did have some criticism of his first half display.
Keane said: “Never in doubt (about Kane scoring). With his quality, two bits of brilliance really from England.
“The second goal was fantastic. Foden lays it off with his left foot, a little bit of luck, a slight deflection and game over. Kane, the dream chance he wanted.
“He probably even looked sluggish in this half. But once he got that chance, he could never believe it. One v one with the goalkeeper and he was never in danger of missing this. Never.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I think the whole team looked a little bit off the pace for the first 30 mins but once we got that first goal, we were completely in control.
It was a comprehensive victory and a real signal of intent moving into the quarter-finals, and it’s going to do everyone a world of good to see Kane get his first goal of the tournament, too.
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