Kylian Mbappe scored twice as defending champions France kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over Senegal at the MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.
The Group I encounter revived memories of Senegal’s famous 2002 World Cup upset against France, but Didier Deschamps’ side avoided a repeat, showing strong character in the second half.
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Senegal started the brighter of the two teams, dominating a passive French midfield. Nicolas Jackson came close to opening the scoring when his powerful low drive struck the post before the hydration break. Ismaila Sarr then wasted a glorious opportunity just before halftime, firing wide from a promising position after good work by Sadio Mane and El Hadji Malick Diouf.
France improved significantly after the break. The breakthrough came in the 66th minute when Michael Olise delivered a precise pass, allowing Mbappe to slot home from close range for his first goal of the tournament.
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With 10 minutes remaining, Deschamps introduced Bradley Barcola, who made an instant impact. The PSG forward latched onto a defence-splitting pass from Adrien Rabiot and calmly dinked the ball over Edouard Mendy to make it 2-0.
Senegal refused to give up and pulled one back in the 95th minute through teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye, who showed excellent control before smashing the ball past Mike Maignan.
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However, Mbappe quickly restored France’s two-goal advantage just a minute later. The Real Madrid superstar cut inside from the edge of the box and curled a magnificent right-footed shot into the top corner, sealing a vital three points for Les Bleus.
Mbappe’s clinical finishing and leadership were decisive.
France’s squad depth was evident with impactful substitutions.
Senegal showed promise in the first half but couldn’t sustain their pressure.
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The result gives France an early advantage in Group I, while Senegal will need to regroup quickly for their remaining group fixtures.
DDNews will bring you more updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the tournament continues.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Akai Akeobong
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