France looked to be suffering from over-confidence today. It was reminiscent of Arsenal's bad results early in this last season, when they seemed to play as if they could win on the basis of their pay-packets.

But anyone who'd wrote France off after this game woudl do well to remember how Arsenal got over it, not by becoming less confident but by coming to warrant that confidence.

Senegal's goal came from a roasting given to former Chelsea scapegoat Frank Le Boeuf down their right, and a fine cross which Manu Petit tried to put out for a corner. Fabien Barthez came to the rescue, saving the corner by palming the ball into the path of the Senegal striker that Petit had been trying to keep it away from.

Vieira and Henry both had good chances from headers in the second half, but Henry mistimed his jump and put his wide, and Vieira could only direct his at the keeper. Henry had an excellent curler come out off the bar too, and in the first half Wiltord wasted a great chance with a weak shot down the keeper's throat with both Henry and Trezeguet making runs in front of goal.

No-one had a particularly bad game for France, except for the mistakes from the Man Utd and ex-Chelsea contingent mentioned above. But they just weren't flowing as a team, and no-one put in a big enough performance to make up for the absence of Zidane.

Pundits will talk about how no team have won the World Cup after losing their opening match. But teams have progressed to the final. And if France should finish second in their group, it will put them into the easier half of the draw.