Mbappe was on top of the game with clinical finishing
* Defiant captain Kalidou Koulibaly backs Senegal to bounce back as they await to next face Norway on June 23 and Iraq on June 26
* We need to correct the details, the turnovers. Defensively, we need to fix that. Up front, we need to start scoring
Maravi Express
Senegal produced a performance full of courage, quality and ambition, but were ultimately punished by the ruthless efficiency of France as the Lions of Teranga suffered a 3-1 defeat in their opening FIFA World Cup™ 2026 Group I match in New York last evening.
For long periods at the MetLife Stadium, Senegal looked every bit the equal of the 2022 World Cup finalists and at times appeared the more dangerous side. However, football at the highest level is often decided by moments, and France made the most of theirs through the brilliance of captain Kylian Mbappe.
The result was harsh on a Senegal side that created several clear opportunities and left the pitch knowing they had pushed one of the tournament favourites all the way.
Thus captain Kalidou Koulibaly has urged Senegal to remain united and focus on the positives from their performance: “A defeat right from the start is a shame. We know very well that Senegal likes to start competitions strong.
“It’s a pity we didn’t. It was a very difficult match against a team that has reached two finals in the last two editions, so they are one of the best teams in the world,” said the captain, who still believes the Lions of Teranga demonstrated enough quality to take confidence into their remaining matches.
“I think we have nothing to be ashamed of in the first half. We played a very good half, we put them under pressure. In the second half, they came back with a bit more pressure and put us under pressure when we lost possession.”
The opening stages were evenly contested, with both sides showing respect for each other’s attacking quality. France threatened first through Ousmane Dembele, whose effort was blocked by determined Senegalese defending.
But it was Senegal who produced the first real warning: in the 25th minute, Nicolas Jackson unleashed a powerful strike that crashed against the post with French goalkeeper Mike Maignan beaten.
The chance lifted the confidence of the African side, who continued to trouble France with their pace and direct attacking play.
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The Lions of Teranga should arguably have gone into the break ahead as deep into first-half stoppage time, Ismaila Sarr found himself in a promising position but fired over the crossbar when the goal was at his mercy.
France returned for the second half with greater urgency and gradually began to dominate possession — yet Senegal remained disciplined and organised, with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy producing a series of outstanding saves to keep the score level.
The experienced goalkeeper first denied Michael Olise before producing another excellent stop to frustrate Mbappe.
However, the resistance was finally broken in the 66th minute. Olise, who had become increasingly influential, threaded a superb pass behind the Senegal defence and Mbappe raced through before calmly finishing past Mendy to give France the lead.
Senegal thought they had found an immediate response two minutes later when the ball found the back of the net, only for VAR to rule the effort out for offside.
That moment proved pivotal as France doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute when substitute Bradley Barcola marked his introduction with a composed finish after being picked out by Adrien Rabiot.
Yet Senegal refused to surrender: in stoppage time, teenager Ibrahim Mbaye produced a moment of magic, rifling a superb strike beyond Maignan to reignite hopes of a dramatic comeback and reward Senegal for their persistence.
But any thoughts of a late rescue were extinguished almost immediately as Mbappe responded within a minute, unleashing a powerful long-range strike that flew past Mendy to seal both the victory and his second goal of the night.
Despite the defeat, Senegal can draw considerable encouragement from their display. Pape Thiaw’s side matched one of the world’s strongest teams for much of the contest and showed enough quality to believe qualification from Group I remains firmly within reach.
The Lions of Teranga may leave New York empty-handed, but their performance served notice that they remain one of Africa’s strongest hopes at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
If they can maintain this level in their remaining matches against Norway on June 23 and Iraq on June 26, Senegal will still have every reason to believe their World Cup journey is far from over.
And for Koulibaly, the disappointment stemmed not only from the defeat but from the manner in which the match slipped away after an impressive opening period.
The experienced defender, who has led Senegal through some of the most successful years in the nation’s football history, also felt the final scoreline was harsh on a side that created opportunities and remained competitive until the closing stages.
“The score is a bit heavy, I think it’s undeserved, but that’s part of football. These are details. Today, we faltered in a few situations.”
Those details, Koulibaly believes, could prove decisive if Senegal are to keep their World Cup campaign alive.
With Norway defeating Iraq 4-1 in the other Group I match, anything less than victory against the Scandinavians on June 23 would leave the Lions of Teranga in a difficult position heading into their final group game.
The captain acknowledged that improvements are required quickly, particularly in both penalty areas: “We need to correct the details, the turnovers. Defensively, we need to fix that.
“Conceding three goals is huge in a World Cup. Up front, we need to start scoring,” said Koulibaly, whose message to supporters was one of resilience rather than despair.
The former African champions have built their reputation on overcoming adversity, and the defender believes the squad must now channel its frustration into a strong response.
“We’re in a tournament. We have to remember the good things and work on what we did less well. We’re angry, we want to win matches. It’s a shame, I know we’ve disappointed a lot of fans, but we have to stay united.”
For Senegal and Africa, the road to the knockout stage has become more challenging, but Koulibaly’s words reflected a dressing room that still believes its World Cup story can be revived.
The Lions may have lost the battle against France, but their captain is convinced the fight for qualification is far from over.—Reporting by CAFonline; editing by Maravi Express
Group stage results
Group A
Mexico 2-0 South Africa
South Korea 2-1 Czechia
Group B
Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Qatar 1-1 Switzerland
Group C
Brazil 1-1 Morocco
Haiti 0-1 Scotland
Group D
USA 4-1 Paraguay
Australia 2-0 Turkiye
Group E
Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador
Germany 7-1 Curacao
Group F
Netherlands 2-2 Japan
Sweden 5-1 Tunisia
Group G
Belgium 1-1 Egypt
Iran 2-2 New Zealand
Group H
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay
Group I
France 3-1 Senegal
Iraq 1-4 Norway
Group J
Argentina 3-0 Algeria
Austria 3-1 Jordan
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