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Sports

Can Senegal Stop France in 2026 World Cup Group I Opener?

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France begin their quest to reach another World Cup final with a tough opening test against Senegal on Tuesday in Group I of the 2026 tournament.

Les Bleus arrive with a strong recent record on the global stage, having finished runners-up to Argentina in Qatar 2022 and winning the tournament in 2018. Didier Deschamps’ side are now aiming to become only the third nation in history to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, after West Germany and Brazil.

France have also been remarkably consistent, reaching four of the last seven World Cup finals (1998, 2006, 2018 and 2022), more than any other country during that period. They are now making their 17th World Cup appearance and their eighth in a row, the longest streak in their history.

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At the heart of their attack remains Kylian Mbappé, who has been the standout star of France’s recent World Cup campaigns. The Real Madrid forward has scored 12 goals across the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, equalling Pelé and sitting just four behind Miroslav Klose’s all-time record. His hat-trick in the 2022 final further underlined his status as one of the greatest big-game performers in World Cup history.

France’s experience is also unmatched. Deschamps, who captained France to World Cup glory in 1998, is now one of only three people to win the tournament as both player and coach. Tuesday’s match will be his 20th World Cup game in charge of Les Bleus, with only Helmut Schön managing more for a single nation.

However, Senegal arrive with confidence and belief, and history suggests they are more than capable of causing problems.

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The West African side famously stunned France 1-0 in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, in what remains one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. That result marked Senegal’s debut on the world stage and set the tone for a remarkable run to the quarter-finals.

Now, more than two decades later, Senegal return for their fourth World Cup appearance and third in a row, matching the longest active streak by any African nation alongside Morocco and Tunisia.

Although their only World Cup clean sheet still comes from that famous 2002 victory over France, they will take confidence from a strong qualifying campaign in which they went unbeaten and finished top of their group ahead of DR Congo.

Sadio Mané remains their biggest attacking threat, leading the team in qualifying with five goals. The 34-year-old forward, Senegal’s all-time top scorer, is appearing at his second World Cup after playing every match in 2018.

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Coach Pape Thiaw, who was part of the Senegal squad that defeated France in 2002, now leads the team into his first World Cup as a manager. His side will look to repeat history, even against one of the tournament favourites.

Despite Senegal’s pedigree for surprises, France still enter the match as strong favourites. Ranked third in the world, Les Bleus are expected to dominate possession and chances, with the Opta supercomputer giving them a 65.6% chance of victory. Senegal’s chances stand at 14.9%, with a draw rated at 19.5%.

France are also tipped to win Group I and remain among the top contenders for the trophy, while Senegal are seen as strong candidates to reach the knockout stage.

Tuesday’s clash, however, carries more than statistics. It is a meeting between a modern powerhouse and a nation with a proven history of upsetting the elite. France may have the stars, but Senegal have already shown they are not intimidated by reputation.

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For Deschamps’ side, it is about starting strongly and avoiding another early shock. For Senegal, it is about history repeating itself.

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The Western Front continues staying campaign in 2026

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Jockey in red silks and a white helmet hunched over a fast brown racehorse during a sprint on the track.

The training team of Ben, Will, and J D Hayes at Lindsay Park is optimistic about capitalising on the current form of their stayer at Flemington.

The Western Front is scheduled to participate in a 2500m handicap race this Saturday, aiming to extend his streak of consistent performances.

This New Zealand-bred gelding achieved a victory in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on May 31 and will be targeting his fifth win of this preparation on Saturday.

The Western Front began his campaign in January, finishing fourth in two 1600m contests at Flemington and Pakenham before finding winning form over 2025m at Cranbourne.

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A subsequent journey to Sydney preceded The Western Front’s victories over 2400m at Caulfield and then 2500m at Flemington, both occurring in April.

The gelding’s performance in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m), where he finished sixth, could be perceived as his weakest run based on the results.

However, J D Hayes clarified that the stable was far from disappointed with the effort, a sentiment later vindicated by his win in the Sandown Cup.

The horse that finished second at Sandown, Zibulon, has since gone on to finish second in the Brisbane Cup (3200m) last Saturday. In the Andrew Ramsden, the runner-up Pounding subsequently ran second in the Q22 at Eagle Farm.

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“He was quite good in the Andrew Ramsden at set-weights as he was giving a lot of weight away,” Hayes said.

“He’s rock hard fit, he stays well.

“Ideally, we would love to stay at 3200 (metres), but this was the next option in Victoria, and he’s shown that he has trained on beautifully.”

Hayes indicated that no specific future targets have been set for The Western Front at present, but while the gelding is performing well, he will continue to race through the winter season.

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Potential upcoming races include the Banjo Paterson Series Final (2600m) at Flemington on July 4 and the Deane Lester-Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m) two weeks later.

“The remaining staying races through the winter are possibilities and then be the fit horse in the early part of the spring,” Hayes said.

“We’ll go run by run, but the plan is not to stop and hopefully he can be a bit of an ATM.

“They win more money in work than out of work.”

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Considering The Western Front’s excellent staying form, exploring online bookmakers for competitive racing odds is advisable.

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Former World Champion wrestles first WWE match in 3 months

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A multi-time world champion returned to the WWE ring tonight. They wrestled their first match for the company in three months.

The latest edition of WWE NXT saw Natalya (aka Nattie) lock horns with Jaida Parker in a singles match. After suffering a series of losses, Parker was recently confronted by The Low-Key Legend on the black-and-silver show. The former Women’s Champion called the upstart “soft”, marking the beginning of their rivalry.

Last week, Jaida Parker showed up uninvited at Nattie’s Dungeon 2.0 and brutally attacked her in front of her students. She made a huge statement, setting up a one-on-one match between the two on tonight’s NXT. The bout marked Nattie’s return to the WWE ring for the first time since March 16, 2026.

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The Low-Key Legend defeated her former mentee, Maxxine Dupri, in a singles match on Monday Night RAW in March. She returned to the squared circle at GCW Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV, where she bested former NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler by count-out.

Nattie continued her winning streak on this week’s NXT. Jaida Parker brought the fight to the veteran, but couldn’t defeat her. In the final stages of the contest, the 44-year-old locked in the Sharpshooter on Parker, forcing her to tap out.

Being a true heel, Nattie didn’t release the vicious submission hold despite winning the match. The referee had to step in and stop the veteran from inflicting more damage on the rising NXT star.

The former Women’s Champion has been a force to be reckoned with since turning heel on WWE TV. She embraced her dark side in January 2026 on an episode of RAW. Nattie backstabbed Maxxine Dupri and cost her a Women’s Intercontinental Championship match against Becky Lynch. The betrayal led to a series of matches between the Canadian superstar and Dupri.

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Fans must stay tuned to find out what’s next for Nattie following her dominant win over Jaida Parker.