Senegal blown away by a 30-minute French storm; Mbappé scores a brace.
It was as if poetry had been written across the green carpet of the pitch in just 30 minutes. Senegal were swept aside like straw in the wind. France won the match 3-1, with a brilliant brace from Kylian Mbappé and another goal from Bradley Barcola. Teenage sensation Mbaye scored Senegal’s lone goal in reply.
By Gautam Ray
It was as if poetry had been written on a green carpet in just 30 minutes. Senegal were swept away like straw in the wind. France won the match 3–1, powered by a brilliant brace from Kylian Mbappé, while Bradley Barcola added another goal. Teenage sensation Mbaye scored Senegal’s lone reply.
Mbappé seemed to pick up exactly where he had left off in the previous final. With 58 goals in 99 appearances for France, he now holds the record for the most goals scored for the national team.
However, France began the match poorly. With Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Michael Olise leading the attack, many feared that having so many stars up front might disrupt the team's balance. Throughout the first half, that concern appeared justified. The four attackers looked like isolated islands rather than a cohesive unit.
Meanwhile, Senegal repeatedly threatened the French defense and created two excellent opportunities. On one occasion, the ball rebounded off the post. On another, Ismaïla Sarr found himself one-on-one with the French goalkeeper but blasted his shot over the bar. France, by contrast, struggled to create meaningful chances during the opening 45 minutes.
The second half was a completely different story. France emerged like a wounded tiger, transforming the game through pace, movement, skill, and sheer talent. What followed was a 30-minute cyclone.
Mbappé and Olise demonstrated exactly why France's forward line is considered one of the most dangerous in world football and why they are among the favorites for the title. Their attacks were executed at breathtaking speed, their forward passing was exceptional, and they consistently found space in dangerous areas. Chance after chance began to flow.
The Senegalese goalkeeper denied Olise with a fine save, while Mbappé also saw an effort blocked by the keeper's legs.
Then came the breakthrough. A defense-splitting pass from Olise found Mbappé, whose magical first touch produced the opening goal. France doubled their lead when substitute Bradley Barcola, who had replaced Dembélé, finished off another exquisite pass from Adrien Rabiot.
In stoppage time, Mbappé scored his second goal with a powerful strike from 25 yards. Although spectacular, the Senegal goalkeeper might have done better had he judged the ball correctly while jumping. Mbaye managed to pull one back for Senegal, while Ismaïla Sarr also had opportunities in the second half but failed to make proper contact with the ball.
There was also a penalty controversy during the match, but VAR ruled that the challenge on Mbappé had been legal.
One notable aspect of Didier Deschamps' side was their ability to maintain a high tempo throughout. France possess such outstanding individual brilliance that it sets them apart from most other teams. The only concern lies in defense. While the midfield and attack are blessed with tremendous pace, the back line lacks some of that speed. As a result, Senegal were able to trouble them on several occasions.
Nevertheless, that dream attacking unit may well be the weapon that carries Deschamps' France all the way to another trophy.
