England have played African sides 13 times in their history and have yet to lose
England have played African sides 13 times in their history and have yet to lose a game... Of those 13 matches, seven have been friendlies but five have been played in the World Cup. Indeed, England have played an African side in every World Cup they've participated in since 1986.
In Italia 90, England's third game in their Sardinian-based group was against the dangerous Egyptians where a win would give them the group and a favoured draw in the second round. Mark Wright rose highest to a Gascoigne free kick from the left and headed home to give the Three Lions a priceless 1-0 win.
Just 10 days later England were in Naples for a quarter final where their opposition was once again African. The colourful side from Cameroon had lit up the tournament ever since they had beaten Argentina in the tournament's opener. Trailing 2-1 with only ten minutes to go, Gary Lineker won, took and scored a crucial penalty and then in injury time scored another to put England into the semi finals of a World Cup for only the second time and for the first time ever abroad.
Glenn Hoddle's England were drawn up against Tunisia in Marseille in the first round of France 98. England played some great football that afternoon and won 2-0 thanks to goals from Alan Shearer - a typical header off a free kick - and Paul Scholes, who curled in a beauty from 20 yards after good work from Paul Ince.
The Three Lions last played a team from Africa in Osaka last June when they came up against the much fancied Nigerians in the group stages of Korea/Japan 2002 - a match which was eventually drawn 0-0, sending England through to the second phase of the competition where they met Denmark.
1986 - 29 Jan - Egypt - Cairo - F - W 4-0
1986 - 6 June - Morocco - Monterrey - WCF - D 0-0
1990 - 2 June - Tunisia - Tunis - F - D 1-1
1990 - 21 June - Egypt - Cagliari - WCF - W 1-0
1990 - 1 July - Cameroon - Naples - WCF - W 3-2
1991 - 6 Feb - Cameroon - Wembley - F - W 2-0
1994 - 16 July - Nigeria - Wembley - F - W 1-0
1997 - 24 May - South Africa - Manchester - F - W 2-1
1997 - 15 Nov - Cameroon - Wembley - F - W 2-0
1998 - 27 May - Morocco - Casablanca - F - W 1-0
1998 - 15 June - Tunisia - Marseille - WCF - W 2-0
2002 - 26 May - Cameroon - Kobe - F - D 2-2
2002 - 12 June - Nigeria - Osaka - WCF - D 0-0
TOTAL RECORD
Played 13
Won 9
Lost 4
Lost 0
Goals For 21
Goals Against 6