The match began with a sense of foreboding for the World Cup favorites, France. Their performance in the first half was lackluster, but the second half showcased a blend of physical prowess and technical skill that few teams can rival. With Kylian Mbappé equaling and then surpassing a record with two goals, alongside impressive contributions from Michael Olise, Les Bleus ultimately delivered a solid performance.
Mbappé found the net following a brilliant pass from Olise shortly after the hour mark, turning a hard-fought match into a one-sided affair.
As the game progressed, substitute Bradley Barcola extended the lead in the final ten minutes. A chaotic stretch of added time gave Senegal a glimmer of hope, but Mbappé added a second goal, marking his 58th for the national team and making him France’s all-time top scorer, surpassing Olivier Giroud.
With numerous New York Knicks players present at MetLife Stadium, an electrifying atmosphere enveloped the pre-match festivities.
France had the best opportunities in the opening 25 minutes, with Ousmane Dembélé nearly threading a pass to Mbappé in the 11th minute, but the captain struggled to control the ball. Kalidou Koulibaly’s casual chest control in the 14th minute nearly gifted possession to France, yet Édouard Mendy escaped unscathed. In the 24th minute, Dembélé almost capitalized on a mistake from the former Chelsea goalkeeper, who barely held on.
After weathering a shaky start, Senegal began to find their rhythm, creating the first genuine chance in the 25th minute.
El Hadji Malick Diouf made a sliding tackle to regain possession and quickly released Nicolas Jackson down the left flank. Jackson surged into the box, where his shot struck the inside of the near post, and a diving Mike Maignan was fortunate to see it deflect wide off his heel.
Following a hydration break, Senegal appeared more composed without the ball and increasingly threatening on counterattacks. Just before halftime, they nearly took the lead when Sadio Mané entered the France box and set up Ismaïla Sarr, who squandered the opportunity by sending his shot over the bar.
France lacked a clear attacking identity and intensity in the first half, but they returned from the break with renewed vigor. Desiré Doué immediately tested Mendy with a shot that curled wide of the post. Moments later, he initiated a break that almost set up Mbappé, but the ball was intercepted.
Olise then had his chance; a turnover in midfield left him one-on-one with Mendy, but the goalkeeper produced a vital save. Just four minutes later, Olise found Mbappé again, but once more, Mendy intervened with a crucial touch.
By the hour mark, France had firmly established dominance and a goal seemed imminent. When Mbappé dashed down the right and drew a sliding challenge from Mané inside the box, the crowd held its breath. The referee, Alireza Faghani, awarded a corner despite replays suggesting a foul. After reviewing the footage, he opted not to change his call, much to the surprise of many.
Despite the peculiar decision, the match’s momentum remained unchanged as Olise and Mbappé continued to excel. Shortly after, Olise threaded a ball through the Senegal defense, which Mbappé just missed. However, when Olise received the ball again about 30 yards out, he delivered a brilliant pass that cut through two lines of defense, allowing Mbappé to reach it first. He turned expertly and slotted a first-time shot into the net with remarkable ease.
Jackson attempted a couple of shots for Senegal post-opener, including one that flew into the top corner but was ruled offside. The feeling that the match had effectively been decided grew stronger as Les Bleus maintained a level of play beyond their opponents’ reach.
Dembélé was replaced by Barcola, who soon put the game beyond doubt. He latched onto a diagonal pass from Adrien Rabiot, who exploited the gaps in midfield, and calmly chipped the ball over Mendy.
Even though the outcome was clear, the closing minutes were frenetic. Ibrahim Mbaye struck a shot that Maignan could not stop, before Mbappé responded with a powerful long-range effort that Mendy might have dealt with more effectively. One goal down, seven more to go.
