England has set up a mouth-watering World Cup quarter-final against reigning champion France as Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka struck against Senegal.

Playing in their first knockout match on the world stage since the agonising extra-time 2018 semi-final loss to Croatia, Gareth Southgate’s men showed their quality to progress in Qatar.

Kane became England’s highest scorer at major tournaments after Henderson opened the scoring, with Saka superbly wrapping up a comfortable 3-0 win against Senegal in Sunday’s last-16 contest at Al Bayt Stadium.

“I had so much time, the ball just sat up nicely, the connection was perfect,” Kane said.

“I had a chance before that which I should have done better with, so it was nice to see that one go in. I’m a striker, so whenever I score I’m always happy.”

The reward is a return to Al Khor for a crunch clash against France next Saturday (Sunday 6am AEDT) as last year’s European Championship runner-up takes on the World Cup holder.

Southgate’s side will need to take its performance up a level given some of the problems Africa Cup of Nations winner Senegal was able to cause in a first half that ended with a quick-fire England double.

Senegal went agonisingly close in the 22nd minute after Harry Maguire’s pass out was picked off by Krepin Diatta, who sent over a cross from the right that Boulaye Dia met with a volley that John Stones took the sting out of before Ismaila Sarr lashed over the loose ball.

England was soon breathing another sigh of relief. Saka gave the ball away in a poor area and Sarr smartly slipped in Dia to get away a fizzing shot that Jordan Pickford stopped with a strong arm.

Henderson was the unlikely man to open the scoring when coolly directing in the cutback from Jude Bellingham, who played a key role as England also scored with the final kick of the first half.

The 19-year-old led a brilliant breakaway that ended with Phil Foden playing on to 2018 Golden Boot winner Kane, who slammed home his first goal in Qatar to become the side’s eighth goal-scorer.

That strike also left the prolific Tottenham striker on 52 England goals, one behind the all-time record set by Wayne Rooney.

Saka then joined Marcus Rashford – the man he replaced in the starting line-up on Sunday – on three goals at this World Cup. He ended the contest when he delicately clipped the ball over Edouard Mendy early in the second half.

England was in cruise control from that point and Southgate rung the changes with progress assured to consecutive World Cup quarter-finals – something the national team last managed in 2002 and 2006.

“I think we’ve showed great maturity through the tournament, and 3-0 against a really good side, credit to the boys, the mentality was top from the beginning and we took our chances when they came,” Kane said.

“We feel good, we’ve got good runners, good players getting forward, and it’s solid at the back, three clean sheets in a row is really important. A really good day for us.”

-AAP

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