In a sea of surprises and disappointments for the favorites at the start of the 23rd World Cup, the biggest of them all, France, lived up to expectations.
It didn't look that way after the first 45 minutes of the match against Senegal in New York, in which Didier Deschamps' team looked slow, sluggish, uninventive, in a word - unwatchable.
The Senegalese had Jackson on goal and a great chance from Sara, but they missed opportunities to take the lead.
What a change has occurred in the game of world politics when, after such a desperate first part, the impressions and reactions at the end are more than positive.
Only later did the "tricolors" find - first freshness, and then depth in the game, in attack, the deadly quartet (Mbappe - Olise - Dembele - Due) became elusive for the "lions from Teranga".
Like a real diesel engine - France was on fire for a long time at the MetLife Stadium, and when it did, there was no escape for the physically powerful Africans.
Olise and Mbappe each missed a shot before Mbappe, on a pass from Olise, equaled Olivier Giroud at the top of the list of all-time French top scorers - his 57th goal in the 66th minute for a 1-0 lead.
The Senegalese also scored through Jackson, and it was thought they were getting back into the game, but the offside flag was raised, and France gained additional speed in their attack 10 minutes before the end, when Barkola entered the game.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker immediately rushed to the goal and elegantly crossed past Mendy for 2-0 on a great pass from Rabiot.
His Senegalese club teammate, Mbaje, reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but only inspired Mbappe to become France's all-time top scorer with the most beautiful goal of the match in the next attack.
And with his 14th World Cup goal, he moves just two goals closer to the top scorer in World Cups, Miroslav Klose.
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