France vs Australia LIVE: World Cup 2022 latest score and updates after Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud goals
France 4-1 Australia: Craig Goodwin’s early goal sparked a reaction from the defending champions as Adrien Rabiot, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe goals turned the match around
Australia gave France an early scare before the defending World Cup champions turned on the style in a 4-1 win in their Group D opener.
Craig Goodwin gave the Socceroos a shock lead after just nine minutes with a composed finish at the back post and France looked out of sorts in the early stages.
But Adrien Rabiot’s header pulled France level before Olivier Giroud scored a second within five minutes as the 2018 World Cup winners turned the match around.
Kylian Mbappe got off the mark for the World Cup in the second half from Ousmane Dembele’s cross, before Giroud scored his second to level Thierry Henry as France’s record scorer with his 51st international goal.
It leaves France top of Group D after Denmark and Tunisia shared the points in a goalless draw earlier in the day. Follow all the reaction from Al-Janoub Stadium with our live blog below.
France 0-0 Australia
2 mins: Early glimpses of Dembele and Mbappe’s talent.
Dembele sears past his man on France’s right flank, then clips a deep cross to Mbappe, who twists one way then shimmies the other to get into the Australia box.
France win a corner, which Mbappe takes, but it’s headed clear.
France 0-0 Australia
Kick-off: We’re under way!
France’s world title defence begins here!
France vs Australia
No Benzema, no Pogba, no Kante – all are injured.
Let’s see how a still-formidable France fare in their absence.
France vs Australia
Australia’s anthem plays; kick-off is just moments away!
Don’t go anywhere.
France vs Australia
T-minus 15 minutes until kick-off!
A reminder of the starting XIs:
France: Lloris, Pavard, Upamecano, Konate, L Hernandez, Rabiot, Tchouameni, Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe, Giroud.
Australia: Ryan, Atkinson, Souttar, Rowles, Behich, Mooy, Goodwin, McGree, Irvine, Leckie, Duke.
France vs Australia
“Take Karim Benzema out of the Real Madrid side last season and it is entirely uncontroversial to suggest they would not have won La Liga or the Champions League; not without his 44 goals in 46 games. Remove him from the France team and there is a case to say their chances of winning the World Cup are greater.
“It is an argument based on history rather than individual quality, admittedly: French history, in particular. The peculiarity of their two triumphant campaigns is that neither contained a goal from the main No 9. Benzema scored three goals in 2014 and France exited in the quarter-finals. Stephane Guivarc’h failed to score in 1998 – indeed he ended his international career with a lone goal – and France won the World Cup. Olivier Giroud did not even muster a shot on target in 2018, yet he was the selfless foil as Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe scored four times apiece. Glory went to France.”
Here’s another great piece from Richard Jolly: He makes the case for France’s chances of lifting the trophy being better without the injured Benzema...
Could Karim Benzema’s absence improve France’s World Cup chances?
Neither of Les Bleus’ two World Cup triumphs contained a goal from their main striker at the time
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