France defeated Senegal 3-1 in their World Championship opening match, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and providing one assist. The game, played at the Lusail Stadium, saw France take control early as Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute after a through ball from Aurélien Tchouaméni. Senegal equalized in the 38th minute through Ismaila Sarr, who finished calmly past Mike Maignan following a swift counterattack. However, France regained the lead just three minutes later when Mbappé curled a shot into the far corner after a defensive error. The final goal came in the 67th minute, with Olivier Giroud converting a penalty after William Carvalho was penalized for handball.
Senegal struggled to maintain possession throughout the match, registering only 38 percent ball control and 116 successful passes compared to France's 426. Aliou Badara's side created six shots on target, but only one found the net. France's midfield trio of Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot and Youssouf Fofana dominated the center, allowing Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé to exploit space on the flanks. Senegal's Ibrahima Gueye received a yellow card in the 52nd minute for a late tackle, while France's Jules Koundé was booked in the 79th minute for a foul on Sarr. Despite a strong start to the second half, Senegal failed to capitalize on half-chances, with Habib Diallo missing a close-range effort in the 57th minute.
Didier Deschamps confirmed after the match that this tournament would be his last as France's head coach. "I wanted to leave with a chance to fight for the title," Deschamps said. "Today was a step in that direction." Aliou Badara, Senegal's manager, acknowledged the difficulty of facing a team of France's caliber but praised his team's resilience. "We showed courage, but we made mistakes at critical moments," he said.
France's victory over Senegal hinged on individual errors punished by Mbappé, not a systemic dominance. The result leaves Senegal with little margin for error in a group where every goal difference counts. Senegal's reliance on counterattacks failed once France settled, exposing a lack of midfield control. No Ivorian or Congolese player featured, and no Nigerian-linked moment arose from the match.
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