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France beats Australia 4-1 in World Cup opener as Giroud equals scoring record


Football - Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup - Group D - France v Australia - Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar - November 22, 2022 Olivier Giroud of France celebrates his fourth goal with teammates team

Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup – Group D – France v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – November 22, 2022 Olivier Giroud of France celebrates his fourth goal with teammates REUTERS/ Paul Childs

AL WAKRAH, Qatar — France began their World Cup defense in style with a 4-1 comeback win over Australia on Tuesday, with Olivier Giroud scoring twice to become the top scorer. Les Bleus’ all-time winner.

Giroud scored before and after the break to bring his tally to 51, equaling Thierry Henry’s mark. He scored either side of Kylian Mbappe’s goal after Adrien Rabiot leveled for France after Craig Goodwin’s shocking opener.

Les Bleus are the first defending champions to win their opening match since Brazil in 2006, giving them the edge over the group stage, something Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014 and Germany in 2018 failed to do.

France, whose defender Lucas Hernandez was ruled out of the World Cup after sustaining a serious knee injury in the first half, have three points and are two points ahead of Tunisia and Denmark after they drew 0-0 on Tuesday.

Didier Deschamps’ side, who started the tournament after the disappointment of striker Karim Benzema being ruled out last Saturday through injury, will face Denmark on Saturday.

“We were scared but reacted quickly afterwards. Even if we could have scored more goals, we found each other, we were very efficient,” said Giroud, 36, now France’s oldest goalscorer at the World Cup.

“It’s good that our confidence turned the tide. However, we will have to learn from these small mistakes.”

Australia coach Graham Arnold said his team ran out of gas against a superior team.

“Look, at the end of the day, they are a quality side. They are world champions for a reason,” he added.

“I think in the first half we did well. In the second half we were a bit exhausted, but that’s the form of those players.”

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Football - Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup - Group D - France v Australia - Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar - November 22, 2022 Olivier Giroud of France celebrates his fourth goal with teammates team

Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup – Group D – France v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – November 22, 2022 Olivier Giroud of France celebrates his fourth goal with teammates REUTERS/ Paul Childs

It was not the start France expected at Al Janoub Stadium.

Australia’s Goodwin sent the ball over the bar from Mathew Leckie’s cross from the right, leaving Lucas Hernandez clutching his right knee after being cleared in the ninth minute.

Hernandez’s brother Theo came on as a substitute and France continued to struggle to create space, with only Mbappe threatening his left flank.

Australia was much more direct, making the most of Les Bleus’ nonexistent midfield.

However, it was Rabiot who leveled in the 27th minute, leaving the scorer behind to head home after Hernandez’s cross.

With Mbappe moving more focused, Australia’s defense had another problem to deal with and that became apparent when the Paris St Germain forward’s heel strike inside the box was caught by Rabiot, who passed the ball to Giroud. tape in.

France played more freely from then on, with Antoine Griezmann’s low shot wide of the post and Mbappe making an effort to go over the bar as he rushed in to catch Griezmann’s cross from the right.

Australia put France on edge and closed just before halftime when Jackson Irvine’s header grazed the right post of Hugo Lloris after a counter-attack.

Mbappe caused more chaos early in the second half but could not find a breakthrough, until he silenced the Australian fans, who in the first half shouted ‘Who are you?’ with him, with a fleeting header in the 68th minute.

Three minutes later, Giroud headed home after Mbappe’s pass before falling back in apparent disbelief and surrounded by teammates in a goal celebration that lasted longer than usual, providing a sense of excitement. cheer for the French victory.

Giroud, who earned his place in the starting XI in Benzema’s absence, has made 115 international appearances to score 51 goals, while Henry needed 123 from 1997-2010.

There were more chances for France thanks to Theo Hernandez and Ibrahima Konate but the result was enough to satisfy them, remember that in 2002, their title defense started with a 0-1 loss to Senegal which was then abandoned. eliminated in the first round.

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