After the opening 45 minutes in New Jersey, the statistics during the 2026 FIFA World Cup clash between Senegal and France would have made one’s eyes pop out.
France had registered just one shot all game compared to Senegal’s five, and it made sense considering they looked disjointed throughout the first half.
Senegal’s organised, high-intensity mid-block completely disrupted France's build-up phase, forcing Les Bleus into a disjointed display where they consistently surrendered possession and lost crucial midfield duels.
Pape Thiaw’s side looked far more dangerous early on, restricting France's brilliant front four of Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue from creating anything substantial with the ball while threatening on the counter through Ismaila Sarr and Nicolas Jackson.
The midfield pivot of Aulerien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot were naturally being outnumbered by Senegal’s three-man midfield set up. But at the break, Deschamps opted to tweak the setup of the starting line up just a little bit, with Olise moving into midfield while Dembele moved to the right flank, and suddenly, the tables turned in France’s favor.
Why France Struggled To Create In The First Half
In the opening half, France’s offensive set up looked disjointed.
This played directly into Senegal's defensive plans. With right-back Krepin Diatta drifting inward to create central overloads and Kalidou Koulibaly commanding the box, France's wingers found themselves isolated.
This often forced Olise to drop deeper than usual to receive the ball, leaving the right wing unoccupied. With Dembele unwilling to take up the vacated position on the right, it often left both players running into each other’s spaces, and it left Mbappe starved of service through the middle.
Deschamps' Tactical Adjustment After Half-Time
Recognising the lack of penetration, Deschamps implemented a decisive positional adjustment after the break.
Olise was given a roaming license to abandon the touchline and drop deeper into central attacking midfield spaces in the second half, a role he has thoroughly mastered under Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich.
It was also reminiscent of the role Antoine Griezmann enjoyed during their run to the 2022 World Cup final. Dembele was asked to hug the touchline for the second half.
The impact was immediate and devastating:
How Olise Solved France's Midfield Problem
In the first half, Senegal had an extra man due to their three-man axis which naturally gave them an advantage.
By vacating the flank and dropping into midfield, Olise completely altered Senegal's marking assignments.
Central midfielders Pape Gueye and Idrissa Gueye were forced to step out to press him, which instantly created gaps behind them for Mbappe and the oncoming Bradley Barcola.
Creating Space Between Senegal's Lines
Slicing the Defensive Lines
With Olise collecting the ball in pockets of space, France finally found their rhythm and flow. He forced Edouard Mendy into a string of spectacular, last-ditch saves as France pinned Senegal deep into their defensive third.
The Pass That Changed The Match
The Breakthrough Moment
In the 66th minute, France paid dividends for their tactical switch. Operating from his advanced central role, Olise threaded a perfectly weighted, defense-splitting pass directly into the penalty area.
Mbappe met the delivery cleanly, turning it past Mendy to break the deadlock and secure his historic 58th international goal.
What This Means For France Going Forward
While Mbappe grabbed the headlines by officially claiming France's all-time goalscoring record, it was Olise's spatial intelligence that laid the groundwork for the 3-1 victory.
The Bayern Munich man set the tempo, freedom, and creativity that France desperately lacked in the opening 45 minutes. And the metrics strongly support the narrative.
As the tournament progresses, utilizing Olise as an inverted, central driving force may just be the ultimate blueprint for the tournament favorites to unlock deep defensive structures.
