EAST RUTHERFORD: Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France shook themselves awake after a sleepy first half on Tuesday to beat Senegal 3-1 in New Jersey Stadium, for a perfect start to their World Cup campaign.

While the Africans had looked the stronger team in the first half of the Group I match, the second period was a different matter as French class ultimately proved the difference.

Inevitably, it was France captain Kylian Mbappe who broke the deadlock, unlocking the Senegalese defence in the 66th minute for a record-equalling 57th goal for his country.

He made a brilliant run to get on the end of a through ball by Michael Olise and he didn’t even look up as he swept it past Edouard Mendy.

Substitute Bradley Barcola added a second, and the skipper then broke Olivier Giroud’s record with his 58th goal for France, thanks to a scorching strike from outside the box deep into added time, just seconds after Ibrahim Mbaye’s consolation strike for Senegal.

His second goal of the game also moved Mbappe into an elite group of footballers with 15 World Cup goals. He joins the likes of Brazil’s Ronaldo and West Germany’s Gerd Mueller. Only German wunderkind Miroslav Klose has more tournament goals, with 16.

“France have been brilliant in the second half. That is what we hoped for and expected. Some of the passing, some of the movement has been outstanding. Senegal have just not been able to live with them. They will regret missing that big opportunity at the end of the first half with Sarr,” England striker Alan Shearer said on BBC Sport.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2026