France comeback win vs. Australia proves depth

Devyy Post November 23, 2022

AL WAKRAH, Qatar — After taking place early, reigning World Cup champions France bought here roaring again at Al-Janoub Stadium on Tuesday to beat Australia 4-1 in Group D.

Australia‘s Craig Goodwin scored in simply the ninth minute as French defender Lucas Hernández went down on the play. however France responded with 4 unanswered targets from Adrien Rabiot, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé to win.

right here is ESPN’s Julien Laurens with response and evaluation from Qatar.

leap TO: participant rankings | best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | publish-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

speedy response

1. France stumble at first however get their worthwhile start

It was not straightforward for Les Bleus — it by no means is in direction of Australia (bear in thoughts 2018 in Russia), and it is by no means straightforward of their World Cup openers (bear in thoughts 2002, 2006, 2010). however a win is a win, and France will take that for now.

contemplating the latest drama — the accidents, collectively with the final one ruling out Karim Benzema from the match three days in the past, the tensions, the uncertainties — plus the nerves of this important sport, Tuesday’s win is a start that will very effectively be extra invaluable than merely three factors for supervisor Didier Deschamps and his gamers. Les Bleus confirmed character and dedication and turned issues round, which might convey them an superior deal of momentum.

There are issues to reinforce and to appropriate, truly — particularly defensively — however as quickly as the gadgets of this new-look workforce fell into the relevant place, with Antoine Griezmann taking a whereas to regulate to his new position of a hybrid No. eight/No. 10, it was tons of elevated. The ball movement turned extra fluid; the form of the workforce was extra balanced; and France took administration.

To win the World Cup again to again, a feat achieved solely by Italy in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962, France will want extra administration and extra solidity. They misplaced one other starter by means of harm, Hernández, and it will proceed to test their depth.

however for now, the French facet shall be pleased. simply one reigning champion had obtained their opening sport to this level 5 World Cups: Brazil in 2006. France in 2002, Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014 and Germany in 2018 all did not take movement. For this, France can’t be too upset with reference to the objective they conceded.

2. Giroud equals Henry’s doc

Olivier Giroud likes to say that his soccer profession is an limitless new starting. It sums up his profession and the method he retains rising, even when he is anticipated to fall.

Giroud scored his fiftieth and 51st worldwide targets for France in direction of Australia in his one hundred and fifteenth cap, equaling Thierry Henry’s doc for the French males’s workforce, however in eight fewer video games. it is an unbelievable achievement for an unbelievable future.

The AC Milan striker was undecided to be an factor of this journey. Deschamps had his doubts about Giroud and was hesitant to name him inside the squad. Then, he was presupposed to be Benzema’s backup, however as quickly as as quickly as extra destiny performed inside the 36-yr-previous’s favour.

– World Cup 2022: information and options | Schedule | Squads

His first objective was a faucet-in, like tons of Giroud has scored by means of his life — nonetheless it is most possible essential faucet-in of his life. His second was a header like tons of he has scored in his life, however as quickly as extra, it is most possible essential header of all.

In 2018, France obtained the World Cup with out Giroud scoring a single objective. He has two already on this version, and the stress is off his again.

earlier than the sport, he had a sense that he would discover the web. He was additionally one in all many first to congratulate Mbappé when the PSG striker, who’s thirteen years his junior and assisted him on his second, additionally scored inside the second half.

At 36, Giroud turned the oldest objective scorer for France in males’s World Cup historic previous, overtaking Zinedine Zidane. Beating Zidane and equalling Henry? What an unbelievable evening time for Giroud.

three. Debutants who debut effectively

All eyes had been on them and on the sq. they shaped on the pitch: Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upamecano, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot.

France’s two centre-backs and two central midfielders made their World Cup debut in direction of Australia on the center of the France workforce, and in addition they bought here in with an superior deal of question marks surrounding them. The nerves clearly kicked in, and in addition all of them had a horrible first quarter-hour, conceding a objective, shedding duels, not worthwhile second balls and struggling to get hold of their place on the pitch.

Then Rabiot scored to make it 1-1 and all of it clicked. abruptly, they had been dominant and environment nice. they will face extra sturdy assessments, truly, starting with the subsequent sport in direction of Denmark on Saturday, however for a debut, they went from power to power.

it is not straightforward to adjust to inside the steps of Raphael Varane, who should be again in direction of the Danes), Samuel Umtiti, Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté, and that could be very a lot a quartet for the prolonged time period. nonetheless the World Cup shall be an unbelievable studying curve.

These 4 gamers are respectively 23, 24, 22 and 27 years previous. they’ve a mixed complete of fifty six caps and till Tuesday had by no means all performed collectively for France, not to mention starting collectively and not to mention in a World Cup sport. For them, as for Giroud, it goes to possible be an unforgettable evening time.

participant rankings

France: Lloris 5, Pavard 5, Konaté 6, Upamecano 6, Theo 6, Rabiot 7, Tchouaméni 6, Dembele 4, Griezmann 6, Mbappé eight, Giroud 7.

Australia: Ryan 4, Atkinson 2, Souttar 4, Rowles three, Behich 4, Irvine 5, Mooy 4, McGree 4, Leckie 5, Duke 4, Goodwin 5.

best and worst performers

best: Kylian Mbappé, France

typically he tried to do an extreme quantity of, however he was great alongside the left wing collectively with his tempo and his dribbling. His objective, a unusual header, rewarded all his wizardry with the ball, and he additionally crossed the ball for Giroud’s second objective whereas he can have scored extra. excellent as quickly as as quickly as extra.

WORST: Nathaniel Atkinson, Australia

The Hearts’ proper-again struggled all evening time in direction of Mbappé. It was an ordeal for him, crushed by tempo and by abilities, and it bought even worse when Theo Hernández bought here on for his brother and launched his attacking facet to the sport.

Highlights and notable moments

Tuesday’s Group D opener started in lovely vogue as Australia struck first.

In a double whammy, French defender Lucas Hernández went down injured as Australia’s Mathew Leckie blew previous him, and delivered a ball for Goodwin to run onto and shoot.

Lucas Hernández was compelled to return out, changed by brother Theo Hernández, nonetheless it did not take too prolonged for the reigning World Cup champions to diploma the rating.

Rabiot found the equaliser with an assist from the Hernández who had come on for the harm substitution.

From there, France took maintain of the match and did not let go. there have been some nervy moments, collectively with a shot for Australia off the publish in first-half stoppage time, nonetheless these scoring had been the French workforce.

The eventual sport winner bought here from Giroud inside the thirty second minute.

After the match: What the gamers and managers mentioned

French supervisor Didier Deschamps on Lucas Hernández: “He should do some assessments, nonetheless it seems pretty critical. that is the massive black spot tonight.”

Socceroos supervisor Graham Arnold informed SBS: “Look, on the extreme of the day, they appear to be a extreme extreme quality facet. They’re world champions for a motive. i used to be pleased with the important half. Second half we ran out of legs a bit, however that is the form of diploma these [French] gamers play at. We’ll decide the boys up, for optimistic. they want to be pleased with their effort, the dedication they gave. however as quickly as extra, they’re the world champions for a motive.”

Goodwin on his objective: “it is virtually an indescribable feeling. to understand at a World Cup in direction of the champions is one factor i will bear in thoughts with out finish.”

Giroud on the comeback: “We bought a scare however reacted quickly afterwards. whilst quickly as we can have scored extra targets, we found every utterly different, we had been environment nice. it is great for our self-confidence to have turned issues round. We’ll want to be taught from these little errors nonetheless.”

Key stats (supplied by ESPN Stats & information)

  • entering into Tuesday’s sport, reigning males’s World Cup champions had been 9-4-4 (W-L-D) of their opening World Cup matches. The final reigning champions to win their first match had been Brazil in 2006.

  • that is the second-quickest objective France have ever conceded of their opening sport at a males’s World Cup, and the quickest since 1982, when England’s Bryan Robson scored inside the important minute.

  • collectively with his objective, Giroud turned France’s oldest objective scorer in males’s World Cup historic previous, a distinction beforehand held by Zinedine Zidane.

Up subsequent

France: Les Bleus proceed their run by means of Group D and face Denmark on Saturday at eleven a.m. ET. Then, they finish the group stage in direction of Tunisia on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 10 a.m. ET.

Australia: The Socceroos proceed their run by means of Group D and face Tunisia on Saturday at 5 a.m. ET. Then, they finish the group stage in direction of Denmark on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 10 a.m. ET.



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