世界杯：姆巴佩梅开二度，法国三比一艰难击败塞内加尔

France beat Senegal three to one, but this scoreline doesn't fully capture how the match went.

As big title favorites, France did not win easily.

They failed to score for most of the match, and nearly had points stolen by Senegal.

Before the match, almost everyone favored France.

This is a traditional powerhouse that has won the World Cup, packed with stars.

The one drawing the most attention was the forward Mbappé.

He's fast and accurate in front of goal, one of the best players in the world today.

Many fans bought tickets just to watch him play.

Senegal, meanwhile, comes from Africa and is also a side not to be underestimated.

In recent years African football has improved fast, and Senegal is one of its standard-bearers.

They're physically strong, energetic runners, and not afraid of any European power.

From the start, the run of play was largely under France's control.

They had more of the ball, using passing to pin Senegal back in their own half.

France's approach was clear: use possession and passing to slowly wear the opponent down, then look for gaps.

Their midfielders kept receiving and distributing the ball, trying to pull the defense apart.

According to the pre-match script, this kind of pressure should eventually turn into a goal.

However, the real good chances kept falling to Senegal instead.

As it turned out, Senegal had no intention of just defending.

They chose to win the ball back quickly after losing it, then threaten France's goal on rapid counters.

This approach caught France's back line off guard several times.

Once, their forward Jackson received the ball, turned and shot, and it slammed hard against the post.

Another time, Sarr seized a chance and let fly from distance, the ball flying just over the bar.

Both chances came within a hair's breadth of a goal.

In the stands, Senegal's fans nearly erupted into cheers several times.

France's defense was left somewhat scrambling by their opponent.

Right up to the end of the first half, the score was still nil-nil.

For France, this was not a satisfying first half.

In the second half, France's coach made changes, bringing on more dynamic players.

They quickened the pace of their attack, applying pressure in wave after wave.

But Senegal's defending was very stubborn, with everyone tracking back desperately.

The minutes ticked away, yet the deadlock stubbornly refused to break.

Just as the match entered the 60-somethingth minute, the turning point finally arrived.

France worked a fluid move in the final third, sending the ball into the box.

Mbappé seized a chance inside the area and calmly finished.

The ball found the net, and France finally led one to nil.

This is exactly a star's value: at the most crucial moment, he can step up and solve the problem.

Until then, his performance hadn't been outstanding, yet one shot changed the game.

After this goal, the whole France team clearly relaxed and played with more confidence.

They kept pressing forward, trying to extend the lead.

By the 80-somethingth minute, France's young winger Barcola added another.

This goal, scored by a substitute, also showed France's strength in depth.

Two to nil — France looked to have the win firmly in hand.

Still, Senegal did not give up.

In stoppage time at the very end, they finally scored.

The one who broke through for Senegal was the young player Mbaye.

Two to one — Senegal pulled one back and restored a bit of pride.

However, the time left to them was already too little.

Just one minute after this goal, Mbappé stepped up again.

He seized one of France's quick attacks and scored his second of the day.

Three to one — France calmly saw out the win.

For Mbappé personally, this day held special meaning.

It was these two goals that made him the all-time leading scorer in France's history.

In the history of the France team, no one has ever scored more than him.

This is a remarkable record, and a reward for years of performance.

After the match, teammates came up to congratulate him, and the stands were full of his name.

Of course, although Senegal lost, they won respect.

They had pushed the favorites France into a real battle, and even scored a goal.

This match again showed that European powers can no longer beat African teams easily.

If not for Mbappé's individual ability, France might well have only walked away with a draw.

The rise of African football is making the World Cup harder and harder to predict.

More and more African teams dare to go head-to-head with traditional powers, without backing down.

For fans, this is exactly what makes the World Cup so appealing.

For France, taking three points in the opener is an ideal start.

But they also know that this kind of performance may not be enough in the knockouts.

For Senegal, losing is a shame, but the group stage has only just begun.

Their performance today is enough to give fans confidence for the matches ahead.

As long as they keep up this fighting spirit, they still have a chance to advance.

After all, going toe-to-toe with a team like France is itself worth praising.

A three-one game, with both the brilliance of a superstar and the defiance of an underdog.

Matches like this are exactly what the World Cup looks like at its best.

That's the whole story of this France versus Senegal match. See you next time.