As the halftime whistle echoed, Kylian Mbappé swiftly made his way to the tunnel, trailed closely by Ousmane Dembélé. In stark contrast, the rest of the French squad ambled off the pitch at a leisurely pace. The forward, often regarded as the best in the world—at least outside the realm of Ronaldo and Messi—and the reigning Ballon d’Or holder had plenty to deliberate.
The opening half of Tuesday’s match against a well-organized Senegal team saw the 2018 World Cup champions and 2022 runners-up struggle, with the scoreline reflecting a disjointed performance. Senegal created the better opportunities, including a near miss that struck the post. However, France’s formidable attacking lineup ultimately triumphed 3-1, even after a sluggish first hour where it appeared as if the forwards had never played together.
France’s attack lacked cohesion during the initial period. Olise roamed unpredictably from his right flank, nearly crossing to the left to get involved, yet failed to make a significant impact. On the left, Désiré Doué was barely noticeable, while a series of comical miscommunications between Dembélé, positioned in the pocket, and Mbappé at the forefront added to the confusion.
In the fourth minute, Rabiot attempted to feed Mbappé, but the latter received the ball awkwardly, using his right hip instead of his feet. Despite several promising exchanges with Dembélé, their partnership failed to threaten the Senegalese defense, which had a relatively easy afternoon in the pleasant weather.
Late in the first half, Olise found space and exploited it, leaving El Hadji Malick Diouf in his wake. He and Mbappé seemed to connect momentarily but were unable to synchronize their movements effectively. The French side appeared to be a team led by a conservatively defensive manager, misplacing their attackers in unfamiliar roles. They were a talented group in search of solutions, cognizant of their capabilities yet frustrated by their performance.
Meanwhile, Senegal capitalized on their pressing game, cutting through French lines to create several opportunities. After an Mbappé turnover, Nicolas Jackson struck the near post, intensifying the pressure. Following another misplaced pass from Mbappé, a journalist in the press box exclaimed in frustration, “From time to time, you do have a rough start,”
“It’s quite hard to meet the high expectation at a World Cup.” Deschamps reflected. “He told me that he didn’t want to strike in a friendly match but wanted to score in a real match,”
The conversation at halftime clearly resonated. Deschamps switched Olise to a central role and moved Dembélé to the right, which reinvigorated France’s intensity. It wasn’t long before they found their rhythm, finally managing to play cohesively around the hour mark.
Both Olise and Mbappé had attempts thwarted by Senegal’s goalkeeper, Édouard Mendy, while a potential penalty kick for Mbappé went uncalled despite VAR review.
In the 64th minute, Olise created space and delivered an exquisite through ball to Mbappé, who just missed connecting. However, the duo finally found their groove moments later. Mbappé made a clever run across the goal, and Olise’s precise diagonal pass allowed him to score, tying Olivier Giroud’s all-time France scoring record at 57 goals.
After Jackson’s goal was disallowed for offside, Rabiot surged forward in the 82nd minute, feeding substitute Bradley Barcola, who chipped the ball into the net for a second goal.
Senegal’s Ibrahim Mbaye managed to score, but Olise and Mbappé had one last flourish for the 82,000 spectators in New Jersey. In the final moments, Olise maneuvered through defenders and set up Mbappé about 30 yards from goal.
What transpired next encapsulated why the nation places its hopes on him. Mbappé turned and unleashed a shot that curved past Mendy, bringing his total to 58 international goals. The final score stood at 3-1.
“Kylian was efficient, ruthlessly efficient,” Deschamps quipped about Mbappé’s record-breaking goals. “People will still criticize him. He’s an iconic player, I’ve always said that. He can sometimes miss a game but on one action he can really tip the scales.”
No member of the French team is likely to remember this match fondly. Senegal displayed moments of brilliance, yet France’s star players—Mbappé, Olise, and Dembélé—afforded their side considerable leeway for error.
“Kylian was efficient, ruthlessly efficient,” Deschamps stated. “People will still criticize him. He’s an iconic player, I’ve always said that. He can sometimes miss a game but on one action he can really tip the scales.”
With smiles and embraces all around, Mbappé led Les Bleus to acknowledge the sea of French supporters, expressing gratitude for their backing. The first-half struggles, characterized by misplaced passes and miscommunications, faded into memory.
France will be just fine, primarily because they have all the talent they need.
