Mbappé Scores Twice as France Defeat Senegal 3-1 in FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener
NEW JERSEY:** France began their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opening Group I match, thanks to a brilliant performance from star forward Kylian Mbappé.
The first half proved to be a tightly contested affair, with France creating several scoring opportunities but failing to convert them. Mbappé and his teammates came close on multiple occasions, but Senegal’s disciplined defense held firm.
Senegal also posed a threat going forward, launching several promising attacks while remaining organized at the back. However, neither side was able to find the breakthrough before halftime, and the teams went into the break level at 0-0.
The pace of the game increased significantly in the second half, with France eventually making their dominance count. Mbappé opened the scoring in the 66th minute, finishing off a well-worked move to give the French side a deserved lead.
France doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute when Bradley Barcola found the back of the net, putting the defending champions firmly in control of the contest.
Senegal fought back during injury time as Ibrahim pulled a goal back to reduce the deficit to 2-1 and set up a tense finish.
However, France quickly restored their two-goal cushion in the closing moments of the match when Mbappé produced a superb strike to score his second goal of the game and France’s third.
The final whistle confirmed a 3-1 victory for France, giving them a strong start to their World Cup journey and placing them in a favorable position in Group I.
