22 Nov 202216.18 EST

Summary

Jonathan Howcroft

Right, that’s enough for me for one morning/evening/night. Emma Kemp has filed her match report from the Al Janoub Stadium. Expect plenty more coverage to follow today, tomorrow, and for the rest of this tournament.

I’ll see you again for Australia v Tunisia on Saturday.

Allez! Benjamin Clark with the email zinger. “It’s probably fair to say that this France team could win the SPFL.” Probably fair Benjamin, probably fair. BUT CAN THEY DO IT ON A WET AND WINDY NIGHT AT TANNADICE!?

Australian TV analysis is, as ever, depressingly negative following defeat. Before the first ad-break Mark Bosnich has asked why Australia doesn’t have its own Clairefontaine, and decried the now universal norm of playing out from the back (that led to France’s second goal).

“That’s why they’re world champions,” replied Graham Arnold with a wry smile on his face when asked a couple of quick questions by Australian TV. Clearly the message is going to be to put that result to one side and claim it was never a realistic source of points. Game two against Tunisia was always going to be pivotal but now it is massive for the Socceroos after Tunisia’s point earlier today.

For Australia it’s back to the drawing board but they’ll fancy their chances against Tunisia on Saturday in the hopes of keeping everything alive against Denmark.

Deschamps can now plot his course though the remainder of the group phase with confidence. Denmark are up next in the clash likely to determine the group winners, followed by an encounter with Tunisia.

France enjoyed two-thirds of possession and had 23 shots to Australia’s four. The 4-1 scoreline does not flatter them.

Australia scored early and started promisingly to raise hopes of an upset but the final hour was all France. The World Cup holders denied the curse of the defending champions (and their own dubious history) to carve the Socceroos open time and again. Mbappe, Dembele, and Griezmann all look in fine fettle, and Giroud bagged a couple to bring him level with Thierry Henry on France’s all-time scorer’s list. An ideal opening hit-out for Didier Deschamps, soured only by the injury to Lucas Hernandez.

The defending champions are up and running in style.

90+4 mins: Mooy gets his name taken by the South African referee, no doubt adding to the 7 (seven) minutes of injury time. That’s in addition to the 6 (six) added minutes at the end of the first half.

90+ 3 mins: While Jeremy Nash supersizes the equation. “France might be about to hit four+ twice in a row but they’ve a way to go to match Hungary in 1954 who followed up hitting nine against South Korea with eight against West Germany.”

Most dominant side never to lift the World Cup?

90+2 mins: Adam Berry brings the four-goal knowledge. “I remember Germany following up their 4-1 destruction of England in 2010 with a 4-0 hammering of Diego Maradona’s Argentina. Surely the most high-profile consecutive 4-goal haul in World Cup history (regardless of how shambolic the opposition were)?”

90 mins: Another header, another Ryan save, this time more routine from Hernandez’s effort.

89 mins: Back to the fourth official we go. This time Giroud’s number is up – no hat-trick for him tonight – but a big bear hug nonetheless from Deschamps. Pavard is also removed. Marcus Thuram is one of the players to come on and he almost scores with his first touch but Ryan makes an excellent save diving to his left after the sub gets his head to a corner.

87 mins: This game ran out of steam a long time ago, but it’s still a joy to watch Griezmann’s movement behind the frontline and his ability to find space and give-and-go to fashion openings. If he remains in sync with Dembele and Mbappe for the next month France will be difficult to stop.

84 mins: More subs. Irvine and Atkinson making way for Keanu Baccus and Milos Degenek.

83 mins: Mbappe could have scored a stack tonight but another chance goes begging. Again it’s the vision of Griezmann that creates the opportunity but after he picks out the 2018 Golden Boy, Mbappe miscontrols and Ryan can pounce.

82 mins: Giroud’s sniffing a hat-trick but Mbappe can’t find him at the far post with his dinky cross.

80 mins: Justin Caouette with an excellent question: “How often do teams score 4+ goals in consecutive games at the World Cup? I feel like it has to be...not that often? Granted it’s been 4.5 years (which feel like eons in pandemic time) since France’s 4-2 title win, but the stat checks out.”

Have at it hive mind.

79 mins: Australia attack! It ends with a free-kick in a dangerous area but Mooy’s delivery is easily headed clear by Konate. Harry Souttar has not threatened so far in the air.

Meanwhile, Jackson Irvine is finally handed a yellow card, long after he was due.

77 mins: Youssouf Fofana and Kingsley Coman come on for Dembele and Tchouameni.

75 mins: “Just wanted to mention how nice it is to see Giroud, who didn’t have a single shot at target on Russia 2018, scoring two goals for France’s starter game this tournament,” emails Daniel Gurfinkiel.

It’s just always nice to see Giroud, isn’t it? Such a handsome man. And to think, if Benzema was fit…

72 mins: A nice moment for Australia amidst the gloom with Awer Mabil and Garang Kuol coming on for Goodwin and McGree. Both subs have excellent stories.

Those boots are getting filled alright! Mbappe takes the Michael down the left and does Atkinson twice with his dropped shoulder and change of pace. Is there an end product to match? You bet there is. A perfect stand-up left-footed cross for Giroud to head home and equal Thierry Henry as France’s record goalscorer.

69 mins: It’s hard to see the result changing now. France have turned the screw for the past 40 to 45 minutes without really going through the gears. The key has been the overlapping runs of the substitute Hernandez on the left, allied with the close control of Mbappe, Dembele, and especially Griezmann.

Australia can’t clear their lines, France continue to attack, and from broken play Dembele stands up a tempting cross from the right and Mbappe gets between the two central defenders to be in the perfect position to head home his side’s third. It was coming.

68 mins: Off the line from Behich! Yet again Hernandez gets in behind on the left and after his cross is knocked out of the area Griezmann drills a low shot destined for the back of the net but it’s repelled on the line.

66 mins: Irvine again gets away with a bookable challenge leading to Deschamps having a word with fourth official Salima Mukansanga.

64 mins: Australia are playing in quicksand now, losing the ball in midfield and struggling to keep up with France’s ball movement. If France click in the final third they could fill their boots.

62 mins: France come again and the latest incursion from Hernandez down the left leads to a corner. Konate rises highest from Griezmann’s delivery but he can’t get enough purchase on his header.

61 mins: Mbappe has a decent sniff but Rowles just gets a toe to the ball to send his shot wide after glorious interplay from the French attack and Giroud in particular. Their ability to knock the ball around confidently in tight spaces is so good to watch.