Kalidou Koulibaly says Senegal not ashamed but frustrated after France defeat

The Lions of Teranga, who were hoping to defeat France for a second time in the group stage of the global tournament, delivered a performance full of bravery, quality, and ambition, but were eventually punished in the second half.

Senegal appeared every bit the equal of the 2022 World Cup finalists and at times looked the more threatening side, yet the match was decided by the brilliance of Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe scored twice and Bradley Barcola added another after Senegal had competed strongly throughout the opening hour but were unable to find the back of the net.

Ibrahim Mbaye had sparked hopes of a comeback for Senegal when he scored to make it 2-1, but it was insufficient to maintain pressure on France, who went on to secure the victory.

'The score is a bit heavy'

“I think we have nothing to be ashamed of in the first half. We played a very good half; we put them under pressure. In the second half, they came back with a bit more pressure and put us under pressure when we lost possession,” said Koulibaly after the thrilling Group I match.

“The score is a bit heavy, I think it is undeserved, but that is part of football. These are the small details. Today, we faltered in a few situations.”

Koulibaly added: “A defeat right from the start is a shame. We know very well that Senegal likes to start competitions strongly. It is a pity we did not.

It was a very difficult match against a team that has reached two finals in the last two editions, so they are one of the best teams in the world.”

With two matches remaining in the group stage, Koulibaly urged the team to learn from the mistakes made during the France game and prepare for a better performance.

“We need to correct the details, the turnovers. Defensively, we need to fix that. Conceding three goals is huge in a World Cup. Up front, we need to start scoring,” explained the Lions of Teranga captain.

“We are in a tournament. We have to remember the good things and work on what we did less well. We are angry, we want to win matches. It is a shame, I know we have disappointed a lot of fans, but we must stay united.”

Senegal objective still alive

Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye insisted the result did not reflect the nature of the opening game.

“We started this match well. Unfortunately, in the second half, we conceded those goals. I think the scoreline is very, very harsh, but it is a football match,” said Gueye.

“It is only the beginning of the competition, and I think this match will allow us to correct the mistakes we made during this game and be ready for the next one. That is the most important thing.”

Gueye, while reflecting on Senegal’s performance in both halves, said: “We conceded that goal very early in the second half, and then we lacked a bit of rhythm to score the equaliser.

“After that, there were chances, notably Jackson's goal that was disallowed. I think if we had scored it at 1-1, it would have changed the game.”

Despite the defeat, Gueye remained confident that Senegal still stands a good chance of qualifying to reach the knockout stage.

“Now, we have to concentrate on the next match. The objective is still there, which is to get out of the group stage first. We still have two matches ahead of us, and we need to prepare them well,” Gueye concluded.