France played with renewed purpose in the second half and were controversially denied a penalty when Mané appeared to catch Mbappé inside the box.
By Kehinde Okeowo
France opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal in an encounter played at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
The West African nation created the better opportunities in the first half but were perhaps unfortunate not to break the deadlock.
France, though, emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and were controversially denied a penalty when Sadio Mané appeared to catch Kylian Mbappé inside the box.
Referee Alireza Faghani had initially awarded a corner for Les Bleus, but later judged that the Real Madrid forward had initiated the contact after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) sent him to the pitchside monitor.
Mbappé broke Senegal’s resistance in the 66th minute with a low strike after profiting from an assist from Michael Olise.
France then doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute through Bradley Barcola, before Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back for the Teranga Lions to make it 2-1.
Didier Deschamps’ men, however, ensured they earned all three vital points after Mbappé rifled home a sensational long-range effort deep into stoppage time.
With the brace, he becomes his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, leapfrogging former record holder Olivier Giroud, who scored 57 goals.
