In their first match of the 2018 World Cup, the French team had a scare against Australia. However, with a bit of luck, the Blues took the top spot in Group C.
The Blues won in a hard-fought victory thanks to a late goal from Paul Pogba in Kazan. But it was tough.
The French team started well in their match. The Blues created an early chance with Kylian Mbappé on a deep pass from Benjamin Pavard in the 3rd minute, but the Australians responded with a set piece that saw a deflection from Corentin Tolisso that almost fooled Hugo Lloris, who had made a superb save a few minutes earlier in the 17th minute. The Tricolores dominated possession but struggled to break through the Australian defense, even with a shot from Lucas Hernandez in the 33rd minute. At halftime, the teams were tied at 0-0.
Things accelerated after the break. Just before the hour mark, Antoine Griezmann was brought down in the penalty area. The referee consulted the video assistant referee to determine if it was indeed a penalty, a decision he confirmed after a few seconds. Griezmann stepped up and outwitted the Australian goalkeeper, making it 1-0 in the 58th minute.
But the joy was short-lived, and less than five minutes later, on an aerial free kick, Samuel Umtiti committed a handball, resulting in a penalty. Australian captain Mile Jedinak beat Hugo Lloris to equalize at 1-1 in the 62nd minute.
France struggled against a well-organized and rugged Socceroos team. The relief came from Paul Pogba, who, after a good combination with Giroud in the center, saw his shot deflected by a defender, looping over the Australian goalkeeper. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced behind the goal line. This time, it was the Goal Line Technology that confirmed the French goal, making it 2-1 in the 81st minute.
In the other Group C match, Denmark beat Peru 1-0 in a tight contest. The Danish salvation came from Yussuf Poulsen, who scored just before the hour mark in the 59th minute.
After Australia, the Blues will face Peru on Thursday, June 21 in Ekaterinburg at 5:00 PM, and then Denmark on Tuesday, June 26 in Moscow at 4:00 PM. The top two teams in Group C will qualify for the round of 16.
DIDIER DESCHAMPS’ REACTION
“It wasn’t easy, but it was very important to win this first match. It was complicated; Australia gave us a tough time. It’s hard to explain everything. We lacked rhythm changes and energy, especially in ball control and passes. We had fewer dangerous situations than usual. It’s the World Cup; you have to battle. We did the job, but we’re capable of doing much better.”
