Italian-Bet

France vs Senegal

France and Senegal go head to head at MetLife Stadium in one of the most anticipated matches of the opening round as both sides look to make a strong start to their World Cup campaign. Les Bleus will be eager to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 friendly defeat to Ivory Coast, a result that exposed a few weaknesses ahead of the tournament. Didier Deschamps will have to cope without goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, and forward Randal Kolo Muani, all of whom were omitted from the World Cup squad. Despite those absences, France have been in excellent form, winning eight of their last ten matches while averaging 2.4 goals scored per game. As always, all eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe, who is likely to prove a handful for the opposition back-line.

Senegal, meanwhile, arrive full of confidence after another impressive run of results. The African giants have also won eight of their last ten matches, scoring 2.0 goals per game and keeping clean sheets in 60% of those encounters. Led by experienced stars such as Sadio Mane and a well-organised defensive unit, Senegal will fancy their chances of causing problems for France. The Lions of Teranga can also draw confidence from their famous 1-0 victory over France in the teams' only previous World Cup meeting. Despite Senegal's quality, France boast superior squad depth and have won eight of their last ten matches. Therefore, Home Win seems like a sure bet, alongside BTTS and Over 2.5 goals (France average 3.2 total goals per game, while Senegal's matches average 2.6, suggesting an open contest).