France launched their quest for a third FIFA World Cup title with a 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opening Group I encounter on Tuesday, thanks to a second-half double from Kylian Mbappe.
The match remained goalless for more than an hour as Senegal frustrated the two-time world champions and created several promising opportunities. However, France found another gear after the break, with Michael Olise playing a decisive role in unlocking the Senegalese defence.
Mbappe finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute, racing onto an excellent pass from Olise before finishing confidently. The goal transformed the contest and handed France control after a difficult first-half display.
Substitute Bradley Barcola extended the lead late in the match when he capitalised on a through ball from Adrien Rabiot to score France’s second. Senegal briefly threatened a comeback when Ibrahim Mbaye found the net deep into stoppage time, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
Any hopes of a dramatic finish were quickly extinguished as Mbappe produced a stunning long-range strike in the 96th minute to seal the victory. The brace took the Real Madrid forward’s World Cup tally to 14 goals, moving him ahead of both Lionel Messi and Just Fontaine in the tournament’s scoring charts and leaving him just two goals behind record-holder Miroslav Klose.
The match also marked a personal milestone for Mbappe, whose two goals lifted him to 58 international goals, making him France’s all-time leading scorer.
Senegal had looked the more dangerous side during the first half. Nicolas Jackson struck the post after a rapid counterattack, while Ismaila Sarr missed a golden opportunity just before halftime. Those missed chances proved costly as France improved significantly after coach Didier Deschamps reshuffled his attacking setup.
Olise was outstanding in the second half, repeatedly troubling the Senegal defence and creating the breakthrough goal. His influence helped France regain momentum and eventually secure all three points.
The victory gives France a strong start in Group I and strengthens their hopes of progressing comfortably to the knockout stage. They will next face Iraq before a highly anticipated clash with Norway, led by striker Erling Haaland.
For Senegal, the defeat was a disappointing start, despite an encouraging performance that showed they can still challenge for qualification in the matches ahead.
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