France vs Senegal 3-1: Kylian Mbappe scores twice as France launch their World Championship campaign with an impressive win

France captain Kylian Mbappé scored twice to inspire France to a commanding 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opening World Championship fixture, helping Didier Deschamps’ side begin the tournament on a winning note.

Also read: Australia stun Turkey 2-0 in World Cup opener

Despite the final scoreline, Senegal matched the former world champions for long spells and created some of the best chances of the first half.

Nicolas Jackson came closest to opening the scoring in the 25th minute when his effort struck the post. Senegal continued to threaten through Ismaïla Sarr and Sadio Mané, forcing France to remain cautious.

France found it difficult to penetrate Senegal’s disciplined defence before the break, with goalkeeper Édouard Mendy producing several key saves to keep the match level.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 66th minute. Mbappe finished a flowing attacking move, collecting a precise pass before driving a low shot beyond Mendy to give France a deserved lead.

Senegal believed they had equalised just two minutes later when Jackson found the net. However, the assistant referee’s flag ruled the effort out for offside, denying the African side a route back into the contest.

France capitalised on that setback and doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute. Substitute Bradley Barcola made an immediate impact after being released by Adrien Rabiot, calmly lifting the ball over Mendy to make it 2-0.

Senegal refused to give up and reduced the deficit deep into stoppage time through substitute Ibrahim Mbaye. The forward produced a powerful solo run before beating goalkeeper Mike Maignan with a confident finish.

Any hopes of a late comeback were short-lived.

Mbappe delivered the decisive moment moments later, unleashing a spectacular long-range effort that crashed into the top corner to complete the scoring and seal a powerful 3-1 victory for France.

The match attracted a crowd of 80,545 spectators and showcased France’s attacking quality, with Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué also playing influential roles.

Also read: Mexico beat South Africa in fiery World Cup opener

While France celebrated a winning start, Senegal were left to reflect on missed opportunities after an encouraging performance that deserved more reward than the final result suggested.