EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – France overcame a stubborn Senegal side to secure a 3-1 victory in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I clash at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, with captain Kylian Mbappe producing a match-winning performance.
The scoreline may suggest a comfortable French victory, but Senegal pushed Les Bleus all the way in a fiercely contested encounter that remained goalless until the 66th minute.
Senegal were the brighter side during the opening half and came agonizingly close to taking the lead midway through the first period. Nicolas Jackson burst clear of Dayot Upamecano before striking the post, while Ismaila Sarr squandered a golden opportunity just before halftime, firing over from close range.
France, meanwhile, struggled to find their rhythm. Didier Deschamps’ men looked sluggish and uninspired, with Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise largely kept quiet by Senegal’s disciplined defensive unit.
The match turned dramatically after the break.
A major talking point arrived in the 59th minute when Mbappe went down inside the penalty area following a challenge from Sadio Mane. Despite a lengthy VAR review, referee Alireza Faghani ruled that the French captain had initiated the contact and waved away penalty appeals.
Mbappe responded in the best possible fashion just minutes later.
In the 66th minute, Olise produced a perfectly weighted through ball that split the Senegal defence. Mbappe timed his run brilliantly before calmly guiding his finish beyond Edouard Mendy to give France a crucial 1-0 lead.
Senegal thought they had found an equalizer shortly afterwards through Nicolas Jackson, but celebrations were cut short when the striker was correctly flagged offside.
As Senegal pushed forward in search of a leveller, France’s superior quality eventually told. Substitute Bradley Barcola made an instant impact in the 82nd minute, latching onto an Adrien Rabiot pass before delicately lifting the ball over Mendy less than two minutes after entering the pitch.
The Lions of Teranga refused to surrender and teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye sparked late drama deep into stoppage time. The youngster controlled brilliantly before smashing a powerful effort past Mike Maignan to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Any hopes of a remarkable comeback were extinguished moments later by Mbappe’s moment of magic.
With virtually the final kick of the match, the French superstar unleashed a stunning strike from around 30 yards that flew beyond Mendy and into the net, sealing a 3-1 victory and sending the French supporters into celebration.
The brace also saw Mbappe become France’s outright all-time leading goalscorer, adding another remarkable milestone to his already glittering career.
Despite the defeat, Senegal earned widespread praise for their spirited display and will take encouragement from a performance that troubled one of the tournament favourites for long periods.
France now move forward with confidence in Group I, while Senegal will look to bounce back in their next World Cup fixture.
