France vs. Senegal: 0-0 at the Half, History Watching From the Stands

France came to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as one of the favorites to win the whole tournament. Senegal came with something to prove — and 24 years of history on their side.
After 57 minutes, it’s still 0-0. And Senegal is making France work for every inch.

The Ghost of 2002

Everyone in that stadium knows what happened the last time these two teams met at a World Cup. Senegal walked onto the field in Seoul in 2002 and beat the defending champions 1-0. It remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
France midfielder N’Golo Kante was asked about revenge before the match. “There’s no such thing as revenge in football,” he said. “That happened 24 years ago. Now there’s a new chapter to write.”
Senegal is trying to write a different chapter tonight.

How the Match Has Gone

France had 58 percent of the ball in the first half. They moved it around patiently, probed, and looked for openings. They didn’t find many.
Kalidou Koulibaly marshalled Senegal’s defense with authority. Every time France tried to play through the middle, Senegal closed the space quickly. The best France managed in the first half was a shot from Desire Doue that didn’t test the goalkeeper.
Senegal’s best chance came from Nicolas Jackson — a sharp effort that French goalkeeper Mike Maignan collected comfortably. Ismaila Sarr caused problems every time Senegal got the ball forward quickly. His pace is a real threat on the counter.
Kylian Mbappe has been involved but hasn’t had a clear look at goal yet. France need him to find space.

What Needs to Happen

France are doing everything right except scoring. The issue is Senegal’s shape — they are compact, disciplined, and willing to defend deep and hit on the break. France have the quality to break it down. The question is whether they can do it before Senegal gets a moment of their own.
If France don’t score soon, the pressure will build. And in that kind of pressure, Senegal — a team that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021 and reached the final again in 2026 — is capable of punishing anyone.
Senegal are still in this. France haven’t put it away yet.
Match ongoing. Final result will be updated. Source: ESPN, FIFA.com, CBS Sports, Fox Sports