Diop has France chasing for the ball (Allsport)

By Stephen Joyce

Click here for France v Senegal match report

For France boss Roger Lemerre, here is the good news.

Defeat in the opening game by supposed inferiors does not mean the end of your World Cup.

Argentina were stunned by Cameroon in the opener in 1990 and still reached the final - though many wished they hadn't.

And Italy triumphed in 1982 despite getting off to one of their notoriously slow starts.

So France can still top Group A after that sensational 1-0 defeat to Senegal and can still win the tournament.

But the main question is - will they?

The answer must be a resounding no, unless they play much better.

Remember this match was Senegal's World Cup final.

The former French colony has had barely 40 years of independence, all their starting XI earn their keep with teams in the French League and their best available player, Patrick Vieira has opted to play for his adopted homeland.

Senegal certainly had a point to prove in Seoul and from the off, inspired by African Player of the Year El Hadji Diouf, they went about showing it.

Strong in the tackle, resolute and organised, their atack came alive when Diouf had the ball.

Diouf's regular roasting of Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf revealed to the world why the Premiership and La Liga clubs are currently queueing up for his signature.

When his speed left Leboeuf on his backside on the half-hour, he also fashioned the key moment of the game.

He darted to the bye-line and cut back a dangerous ball that caused panic between keeper Fabien Barthez and covering midfielder Emmanuel Petit leaving Papa Bouba Diop to slide in the winning goal.

France had an hour to save their skins but failed to do so despite David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry hitting the woodwork.

Senegalese keeper Tony Sylva, despite a worrying tendency to leave his penalty area for the most unfathomable of reasons, dealt with a series of long-range efforts and never had to prove whether he was a world-class stopper or not.

Henry and Trezeguet but found their supply line less regular than when Zinedine Zidane is in charge of it.

The ultrasonic lamp will be working away on ZZ's thigh injury more assiduously after this performance.

Youri Djorkaeff's fitful display, like most of the ones he has given recenly for Bolton, may persuade Lemerre to rejig his midfield for the now must-win clash with Uruguay on Thursday.

Les Bleus looked more dangerous when Christophe Dugarry replaced him on the hour mark though the Bordeaux star likes to drift out to the left.

Johan Micoud could be a straight swap into the 'hole' but he has struggled all season in a dismal Parma side in Serie A.

Petit has not set the world alight at Chelsea this season and he was far and away the weaker link in the midfield combo with Vieira.

His yellow card summed up a game where he never exerted any real influence and Real Madrid's energetic Claude Makelele must be closer to getting a start.

Critics of Lemerre, without the benefit of hindsight (the world's most precise science), would have pointed to the French central defence as the team's principal area of doubt.

Leboeuf confirmed suspicions that he has quality in distribution but not in defending while Desailly also had onlookers checking how old he is now as Diouf and company relished running straight down the middle.

Lemerre should move Lilian Thuram into the middle (even Manchester United's Mikael Silvestre would not be a bad decision) in place of Leboeuf and Roma's positive Vincent Candela could come in at right-back.

France will still qualify from this group but Zidane will have to be back fully fit for them to take their place in the final.

Anyway, that's enough about the world champions - what about Senegal?

Anyone who watched coverage of the African Nations Cup in the New Year would already have known that they would be no pushovers here.

We took their pace and strength for granted but their discipline was their greatest asset.

Aliou Cisse did find his way into the referee's notebook for one too many vigorous challenges but they achieved this result by spirit and organisation.

Nobody lost their head even when Henry and Co were pouring forward in the second half.

If they did go on to top this group, they could play England in the last 16.

And bearing in mind the rigorous examination given to Sven's men by African rivals Cameroon in last week's friendly, Senegal could have a few more shocks in store.

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