Mbappe Becomes France's All-Time Top Scorer in World Cup Win Over Senegal

Kylian Mbappe smashed in a stoppage-time strike to become France's all-time leading goalscorer, helping his side beat Senegal 3-1 in their opening match of the World Cup in New Jersey.

The Real Madrid forward's late goal, fired in from 25 yards, was his second of the game and took his tally for France to 58, one more than former record holder Olivier Giroud.

The win did not come easily. Mbappe broke the deadlock in the second half with a low shot, and Bradley Barcola doubled the lead soon after. Senegal hit back through 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye, who curled in a shot from a tight angle to make it 2-1 and give his side hope of a late comeback. Mbappe shut that down for good with his second goal deep into stoppage time.

For long stretches, it looked like Senegal might cause an upset. France struggled to get going in the first half, managing only a handful of touches inside Senegal's box, while the Lions of Teranga created the better chances. Nicolas Jackson came closest, ripping a shot against the post that bounced off goalkeeper Mike Maignan's foot and rolled just wide. Ismaila Sarr also missed a good chance right before halftime, unable to keep his shot on target after a cross from Sadio Mane. Mbappe himself barely got into the game before the break.

Coach Didier Deschamps' side looked like a different team after halftime. Desire Doue fired wide moments after the restart, and both Michael Olise and Mbappe were denied by Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy when they broke through one on one. Mendy could not hold out for long, though, as Mbappe found a way through soon after.

The match also had a big refereeing moment. Early in the second half, Mane appeared to grab hold of Mbappe inside the box, and most fans in the stadium expected a penalty once referee Alireza Faghani went to check the pitchside monitor. Instead, he ruled that Mbappe had caused the contact himself, and the decision stood.

The result flips the script on France's history with Senegal. Back in 2002, Senegal beat France in their World Cup opener, a result still seen as one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's history.

A few smaller details rounded out the night. Jackson had a goal ruled out for offside not long after Mbappe's opener, and Mbaye's goal came just months after he became the youngest player to ever score for Senegal at this year's Africa Cup of Nations.