Sports

France 4 – 1 Australia

The defending champions France rebounded from Australia’s early goal to win 4-1 as they began their journey to defend the World Cup in style in Qatar.

On a day that starts with one of the biggest shocks in World Cup historyDidier Deschamps’ men ventured the way Argentina did against Saudi Arabia when Craig Goodwin put Australia ahead in the first 10 minutes of the game.

But goals from Adrien Rabiot and Olivier Giroud put France ahead before the first half ended and quality was on display in the second with Kylian Mbappe emerging as the star of the match. He scored the third and then assisted Giroud for the fourth with a beautiful cross.

That goal raised the level of 36-year-old Giroud, tying Thierry Henry as France’s all-time top scorer with 51 goals for the men’s national team. It is a great record that Mbappe will surely break one day.

Key moments in the game…

  • 9 min: Leckie crosses to Goodwin to give Australia the lead
  • 27 min: Rabiot scores an equalizer from close range
  • 32 min: Giroud scores after Rabiot .’s beautiful goal
  • 45 min: Mbappe hits a volley from six meters away
  • 45+2 min: Irvine header hits the post and Lloris is defeated
  • 67 minutes: Griezmann’s dangerous shot is saved by Behich
  • 68 minutes: Mbappe heads off the post to score
  • 71 min: Giroud scores his 51st international goal from Mbappe’s cross

How France took it out of Australia

Australia should have known the size of their mission but they started with real composure and their aim was brilliantly successful. A brilliant redirect from Harry Souttar set up Matthew Leckie and his cross found Goodwin, who finished neatly in the far corner.

Lucas Hernandez was wounded during Australia’s preparations for that target, adding to the list of French casualties may give the impression that events are conspiring against them. But his replacement, his brother Theo, set up Rabiot to equalize and they didn’t look back.

Within minutes of heading home at national team level, the elegant midfielder was back in charge, catching a beautiful Mbappe pass to set up Giroud. The veteran striker’s simplest task was to put the ball in the net in his 50th goal for the national team.

Mbappe could have scored a third as well set up by Antoine Griezmann but his volley was wild at 6m and it almost proved the cost as Jackson Irvine hit the header. the post in stoppage time of the first half. Australia certainly had their moments.

But the second half saw Mbappe take over, tormenting the defense as France tried to increase the lead. Griezmann had a shot just off the line but Mbappe was not denied – heading wide after Ousmane Dembele’s right wing pass.

Mbappe became the assist shortly after, his cross from the other side headed by Giroud. Much has been made of the players’ absence when Ballon d’Or reigning Karim Benzema was absent. But France was very strong without him in 2018. Now they also look very strong.

Player of the Match – Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring France's third goal against Australia
Picture:
Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring France’s third goal against Australia

This was not a faultless performance, not even close to one of his best. Perhaps Giroud will receive praise for a special evening for him thanks to his goals. But the standout player on the pitch is clearly the extraordinary Mbappe.

He missed from close range in the first half when he looked easy to score and he mis-controlled from the same distance in the second half with the goal vacated. But before, mid and back, he had the Australian defenders face to face in tatters. Spectacular, literally.

Even at just 23 years old, Mbappe still has very little to prove. Of course, he’s already a World Cup champion. But to match Pele’s scoring record in a final as a teenager, he looks very likely to repeat the Brazilian’s feat by retaining the trophy.

Rumor has it that his relationship with Giroud is not everything but off the field. On it, he seems to have the ideal banknote. France has the team to give him the platform. He has the talent to capture the stage. No one would be shocked if this was his World Cup.

France wins in statistics

  • France have won 5 consecutive matches at the World Cup, their longest winning streak at the tournament, they also won 5 matches in a row from 1986 to 1998.
  • France is the first defending champion to win the opening match of a World Cup tournament since Brazil in 2006.
  • France conceded the opening goal in a World Cup match for the first time since the 2014 quarter-final against Germany.
  • It was also the earliest goal France conceded at the tournament since 1982 against England when Bryan Robson scored after 27 seconds.
  • Olivier Giroud became the second oldest player to score a double at a World Cup, after Roger Milla, who scored the brace in 1990 for Cameroon at the age of 38.
  • Kylian Mbappé, who has scored 12 goals in his last 11 appearances for France, is the youngest player to score five World Cup goals for the country.
  • Adrien Rabiot became the first player to score and assist on his World Cup debut for France since Christophe Dugarry against South Africa in 1998.

What does the result mean?

France are leading Group D with two points clear thanks to this win with Denmark and Tunisia drawing 0-0 earlier in the day. Australia is at the bottom of the table, the only team without a point.

France went on to defend its title against Denmark on Saturday, with the match kicking off at 4pm, while Australia played Tunisia earlier that day at 10am.

The winner of Group D will face the runner-up of Group C including Argentina, Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia. The runner-up of Group D will face the winner of Group C.




Source by [author_name]

news7h

News7h: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button
Immediate Peak