NEW YORK: Kylian Mbappe struck twice as France kicked off their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal in their Group I match, securing all three points with a dominant second-half display.

Senegal looked the more adventurous side in the opening half and created several attacking opportunities, but failed to find the breakthrough. France, however, took control after the interval and made their superiority count.

Mbappe opened the scoring in the 66th minute to give France the lead. Substitute Bradley Barcola, who replaced Ousmane Dembele, doubled the advantage in the 82nd minute, putting the former world champions firmly in command.

Senegal threatened a late comeback when Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back during injury time. But any hopes of a dramatic turnaround were quickly extinguished as Mbappe struck again moments later to seal a comfortable 3-1 win.

The brace also saw Mbappe become France’s all-time leading international goalscorer. His World Cup tally rose to 14 goals, further enhancing his reputation as one of the tournament’s most prolific scorers.

The victory carried added significance for France, who were stunned 1-0 by Senegal in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup. That defeat marked the start of a disastrous campaign in which the defending champions finished bottom of their group and exited the tournament in the first round.

This time, France ensured there would be no repeat of that upset, producing a clinical second-half performance to begin their World Cup journey on a winning note.

Both teams lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but France’s quality in front of goal ultimately proved decisive.