France made a winning start to their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal in their Group I clash held in New York.
More than 80,000 spectators packed the stadium to witness one of the tournament’s most anticipated group-stage encounters.
The opening half ended in a deadlock, with both sides unable to break through despite several promising attacking moves.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 66th minute when French superstar Kylian Mbappé fired home to give France a deserved lead.
France doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute through Bradley Barcola, putting the 2018 world champions firmly in control of the contest.
Senegal responded through Ibrahima Ba, who pulled one goal back and briefly raised hopes of a late comeback.
However, Mbappé had the final say. With only minutes remaining, the French captain struck again to complete his brace and seal a convincing 3-1 victory for Les Bleus.
The result gives France an ideal start in Group I, while Mbappé once again demonstrated why he remains one of the biggest stars on football’s grandest stage.
