World Cup, France-Australia 4-1: Goodwin, Rabiot, brace from Giroud and Mbappé

This time, the law of the strongest applies. France manages to dispel the clouds that have accompanied the reigning champions of the last three World Cups, all eliminated in the group stage. This is how it begins, after all, when the tension is so strong that it grips talent in a vice and makes obstacles bigger than they are. This is what happens in the first twenty-five minutes to Deschamps’ national team, who even go down after just nine minutes of the match. Rabiot leads the fight back, scoring the first Serie A goal in this tournament and assisting Giroud to overturn the result. In the end it will be a brace for the Milan player, who hooks Henry in the all-time ranking of national team scorers (51). Australia on the other hand has obvious limitations, closing ranks in the hope of frightening Les Les Bleuses, but once morale is worn down it doesn’t offer adequate opposition.

FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE

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Deschamps’ intentions are immediately clear, with four forwards on the pitch: Mbappé and Dembélé to act on the flanks, Giroud as a central reference and Griezmann free to range across the pitch. Australia responds with a solid 4-5-1 formation, with Mooy in command of operations in the middle of the field and Duke isolated up front to battle Konaté and Upamecano. The specter of the curse takes shape in the 9th minute, when Leckie takes Lucas Hernandez from an enfilade and proposes a ball at the height of the small area that goes around the defense, with Goodwin good at closing on the far post and placing under the crossbar. The bad news is double for France, because in the run-up to Leckie the Bayern Munich winger injures his knee and is forced to give way to his brother Theo. For Luca a serious injury and the World Cup is over. The Rossoneri enter the match well, but make a bad mistake: a wrong support from him arms Duke’s right foot from distance, which grazes the post to the left of Lloris (22′).

THE COMEBACK

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Les Bleus seem to have few ideas, they rely without an elaborate construction on the flares of the wings, which go at a different speed compared to the scorers, especially Mbappé. In fact, the draw is episodic and comes on the development of a corner kick. Theo Hernandez collects on the trocar and crosses, finding Rabiot’s head and balance is restored in the 27th minute. Deschamps’ formation takes advantage of the momentum and raises the pressure. Rabiot senses McGree’s difficulties in a complicated build from below and anticipates him, then triangulates with Mbappé and serves Giroud, who only has to push into the net: in the 32nd minute the comeback was therefore served. In the end of the first half, France would also have the shot of the probable knockout available, but the volley from a few steps by the PSG attacker ends high. Irvine catches the right angle in the recovery, but the risk of insult dissolves on the post with Lloris immobile.

POKER

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Fear shakes France, which begins its recovery by besieging Australia. Giroud tries a scissor kick on Theo’s cross, then a providential closing from Rowles prevents Mbappé from kicking undisturbed in front of Ryan. Meanwhile Arnold changes the centre-forward, sends in Cummings for Duke but the story doesn’t change. In fact, it gets worse. Hernandez is furious on the left, a cue from him leads Griezmann to finish from the edge but Behich replaces the goalkeeper and pushes back on the line. It’s just the prelude to the one-two that comes a few moments later: Dembélé raises for Mbappé, who stands out between the two opposing centre-backs and signs the 3-1 (68′). Les Bleus didn’t even leave the Australians time to react, two minutes later Giroud asserted himself in the aerial play on the Parisian player’s cross and signed the poker. Shortly before the ninetieth Ryan avoids a worse passive, diving on Konaté’s header. But the match, for a long time, hadn’t had much else to say.