Senegal Relived 2002 Glory, but Mbappé Crushed It Twice

NEW JERSEY — Senegal relived their legendary 2002 magic for an hour, but Kylian Mbappe struck twice to sink them and seal France's 3-1 win in New Jersey.

The match between France and Senegal at the New York-New Jersey stadium promised a lot — and delivered.

The two national teams had met only once before yesterday, in that iconic and unforgettable game at the opening of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, when Senegal, in their first-ever World Cup appearance, stunned France and the world 1-0 on a goal from Papa Bouba Diop, backed by a phenomenal performance.

Senegal and France also share a rich history of exploitation, trade, and colonialism dating back to the 17th century. Senegalese soldiers fought for France in the World Wars, Senegal was part of the French Union, and it only became an independent nation in 1960.

"There's so much that connects the two countries and the two national teams," Papa Mahmoud Gueye, a Senegalese journalist with the outlet Taggat, explained to BabaGol in conversation at the media center in New Jersey. "There are players on both teams who could have represented the other side, and a great deal of Senegalese football is directly connected to French football — culturally, commercially, and professionally."

Senegal were brimming with confidence on the eve of the match. At the final training session, Kalidou Koulibaly spoke at length with the media: "We play for our flag, for our people, but we also represent all of Africa. We are continental champions" — the African football confederation had declared Morocco champions, though the matter is under review at CAS — "so of course when we face a strong opponent like France." The training session itself opened with the entire squad and staff kneeling in prayer together for victory.

The night before the match, Senegalese fans put on a show in Times Square, warming up the atmosphere with songs, jerseys, and chants for the Lions of Teranga. Not all Senegal fans managed to make it to the United States. Senegal is famous for its fan group known as Le 12ème Gainde, which at every tournament stages striking displays — members paint their bodies white, each carrying a single letter, together spelling out S-E-N-E-G-A-L, traditionally accompanied by drummers and musicians. Ahead of this World Cup, some members of this cheer squad were denied visas, forcing replacements to train for two weeks to arrive ready and confident for the tournament.

In Times Square, amid the singing and dancing, you could feel the belief that they could recreate the wonder of 24 years ago coursing through the crowd. And why not? With a coach, Pape Thiaw, who had been a player in that 2002 squad; an assistant coach, El Hadji Diouf, who had been the star who set up the winning goal; and a veteran leader like Sadio Mané, who has led the national team to two Africa Cup of Nations titles and three World Cups — it's easy to see why the Senegalese were confident they'd get something out of this match.

In the first quarter of the game itself, it really did look like it might happen. Senegal came out strong, controlled possession, pushed forward, and came close to scoring first. On the other side, Les Bleus, despite a lineup stacked with stars and quality, showed nothing resembling the play of a title favorite. Among the Senegalese fans — and among the rest of the 85,000 in the stadium — the impression took hold: yes, Senegal could do something here today.

To Senegal's misfortune, a completely different France emerged for the second half. Goalkeeper Édouard Mendy was excellent, saving Senegal again and again, but Kylian Mbappé scored in the 66th minute to draw level with Olivier Giroud atop France's all-time scoring chart, and Senegal began to fade. Senegal had an equalizer ruled out for offside, and shortly after, in the 82nd minute, conceded a second goal from Bradley Barcola's feet.

Deep into stoppage time, 18-year-old Paris Saint-Germain player Ibrahim Mbaye became the fourth-youngest player ever to score at a World Cup, breaking free of his marker and blasting the ball into the top corner past Mike Maignan.

That goal reignited hope among the Senegalese — that maybe they could level things in the few minutes remaining. But it was Mbappé who struck again almost immediately, turning and firing a thunderous shot that left Mendy no chance. A brilliant goal that sealed the 3-1 scoreline for France and made Mbappé France's all-time leading scorer with 58 goals.

The match ended, but not without a reminder of the past. After the final whistle, the family of Papa Bouba Diop — scorer of that legendary goal against France, who passed away several years ago — walked onto the pitch and were honored by both the French and Senegalese players.

"We didn't take advantage of the chances we had," said Senegal coach Thiaw after the match. "We'll need to improve and fix things. But this loss is already behind us — we're looking ahead to the next matches, and Norway will be a very tough opponent."

Despite the defeat, Senegal can still advance to the next round. "We're still African champions," midfielder Idrissa Gueye told reporters in the mixed zone. "And in a World Cup like this, with 48 teams, anything can happen."

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