Preview: Mbappe, one of 14 players in France’s squad who have yet to feature in a major tournament, has been in great form for Paris Saint-Germain last season and will kick of Saturday’s Group C opener flanked by Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele of Barcelona. Deploying his preferred 4-3-3, 1998 World Cup winners Deschamps’ midfield will see Manchester United’s Paul Pogba alongside Corentin Tolisso of Bayern Munich and Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante. [caption id=“attachment_4523851” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Paul Pogba netted a late winner to help France begin their 2018 World Cup campaign with a win. AP[/caption] A four-man defence composed of Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti and Lucas Hernandez will have the job of stopping Australia’s Andrew Nabbout, of Japanese side Urawa Reds, from scoring on his World Cup debut. Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic will be the link man for Nabbout, with Bundesliga-based Mathew Leckie (Hertha Berlin) and Robbie Kruse (VfL Bochum) providing support from the flanks. Starting line-ups for the World Cup Group C opening game between France and Australia at the Kazan Arena on Saturday (1000 GMT kick-off): France (4-3-3) Hugo Lloris (capt); Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernandez; Corentin Tolisso, N’Golo Kante, Paul Pogba; Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe Coach: Didier Deschamps (FRA) Australia (4-2-3-1) Coach: Bert van Marwijk (NED) Mathew Ryan; Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury, Mark Milligan, Aziz Behich; Aaron Mooy, Mile Jedinak (capt); Robbie Kruse, Tom Rogic, Mathew Leckie; Andrew Nabbout Referee: Andres Cunha (URU)
Highlights, France vs Australia, FIFA World Cup 2018, Match 5 in Kazan: Paul Pogba wins it for Le Bleus
Catch all the latest updates from the 2018 FIFA World Cup match between France and Australia.
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Argentina take on Iceland in their Group D opener
Lionel Messi and Co take on Iceland in their Group D clash. Gylfi Sigurdsson starts despite doubts over his fitness. Follow our live blog for the latest updates .
Australia scored with their only shot on target
Take a look at the stats from the match.
France edge past Australia
FT! Paul Pogba wins the match for France!
Peep peeep peeeeeep! France get their World Cup campaign underway with a close win against Australia. History was created as VAR awarded the first penalty in a FIFA World Cup match after Antoine Griezmann was bundled over by Behic. Griezmann made no mistake from the spot but the Socceroos responded with a penalty of their own after Jejunal scored from the spot following Umtiti’s handball. Paul Pogba then scored nine minutes from full time to ensure France got off to a winning start in Russia.
90+4` France 2-1 Australia
Australia get a throw near the corner flag and Behic lines up a long throw into the box for his teammates to attack. The Aussies get their shots away but the French defence stands firm. Into the final minute now.
90` France 2-1 Australia
French fans in the corner chanting “Allez Les Bleus” but barely even loud enough to convince themselves. Meanwhile, Paul Pogba’s situational awareness today seems about at par with the Delhi Police’s gender sensitivity.
89` France 2-1 Australia
Mbappe is set free on the left byline and Ryan comes off his line to try and block Mbappe. He manages to close down all angles for the PSG star. Mbappe turns and pings the ball to Fekir who should have volleyed the ball into the unguarded net but takes a touch and squared it to Pogba, who also takes a touch which gives the Aussies enough time to clear the ball away.
87` France 2-1 Australia
If you seek a game of football there will, perhaps, be one for you later today when Argentina play a massively talented Croatian side. In Kazan, France are playing with an almost tangible disdain for their opponents. Pogba’s goal should be enough for the points. But it’s frightening to think of what a real midfield will do to this team.
86` Behic booked
Nabil Fekir muscles Behic off the ball just outside the box and the Aussi defender fouls as he tries to get the ball back. He ends up fouling the Lyon man and sees yellow.
85` France 2-1 Australia
84` France 2-1 Australia
Daniel Arzani becomes the youngest player to play at the 2018 World Cup as he replaces Max Kruse for Australia.
82` France 2-1 Australia
80` Pogba gives France the lead!
Paul Pogba may have won it for France here! He plays a brilliant one-two with Giroud before scooping the ball over Ryan. The ball hits the underside of the crossbar and bounces out of goal. France appeal for a goal and after a slight delay, the goalline technology signals the referee that the ball had crosses the line.
77` France 1-1 Australia
Third and final change for France as Blaise Matuidi replaces Tolisso.
75` France 1-1 Australia. Tolisso booked
Tolisso loses the ball in midfield and makes amends for it by making a “tactical” foul on Juric just as Australia were breaking on the counter.
72` France 1-1 Australia
With Giroud up front, France can hope to trouble Milligan and Sainsbury and he does well to win a corner.
70` France 1-1 Australia
Change for Australia as Rogic makes way for Jackson Irvine.
69` France 1-1 Australia
Double change for France as Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir replace Griezmann and Dembele.
66` France 1-1 Australia
Australia nearly gift France the lead. Sloppy backpass but Ryan sprints out of the box to clear the ball before Mbappe can get to it.
65` France 1-1 Australia
Behic, Mooy and Kruse combine well on the left to send Behic free on the byline. Pavard recovers quickly to block Behic’s cross
64` France 1-1 Australia
First change of the match as Tomi Juric replaces Nabbout.
63` France 1-1 Australia
It’s happened in the worst possible way. To have access to the replays and then award that penalty seems a bit off to me. At first I thought it should have been given. But it was his trailing leg and Ryan, in my opinion, had it covered. At the other end, the universe has restored the balance. 1-1, and maybe now we see a bit of football.
62` Mile Jedinak levels for Australia!
Jedinak makes no mistake from the spot as Lloris dives the wrong way. Game on!
61` And Australia get a penalty!
Umtiti has his hands high and it is a clear penalty!
58` Griezmann makes no mistake from the spot!
Griezmann smashes the ball into the top corner as Ryan does not move at all. Griezmann has first World Cup goal and France finally get their goal.
56` VAR awards France a penalty!
The ref stops play as he goes to check the VAR screen on the penalty call. Replays shows that Risdon fouled Griezmann and the referee awards a penalty! Huge positive for VAR!
54` France 0-0 Australia
Was that a penalty? Kante finds Pogba who plays a through ball to Griezmann. He’s brought down by Risdon but referee Andres is not intersted.
52` France 0-0 Australia
Raphael Varane with a vital intervention to stop Australia from scoring. Risdon pings in a cross from the right towards Nabbout but Varane just manages gets to the ball ahead of Nabbout.
50` France 0-0 Australia
Dembele spots Theo’s run on the left and puts in a cross. Risdon tries to get to it and that puts off Theo from his run as the ball rolls out for a goalkick.
48` France 0-0 Australia
Theo goes down again after he gets Leckie’s elbow to his jaw. The Aussi No 7 had been cautioned in the first half but escapes with a card.
46` France 0-0 Australia
Tolisso plays a ball over the top looking for Griezmann in the box. Risdon and Milligan combine to clear the ball.
2nd half begins
No changes for either side at halftime.
HT. France 0-0 Australia
For all their defensive solidity, the Socceroos have nothing to show going forward. Bery Van Marwijk needs to change that in the second half.
HT. France 0-0 Australia
The credit has to go to Milligan and Sainsbury,
HT. France 0-0 Australia
45’ played. France have Kante to thank for allowing the rest of the attacking system an extended warmup period. They seem to be enjoying the perfect weather in Kazan a little too much.
Australia have been committed, strong and organised at the back. Unfortunately lacking any real attacking quality or ideas. Rogic v Kante is a huge mismatch.
45` France 0-0 Australia
The Socceroos with a glorious chance to go ahead. Behich puts in a cross towards Leckie but it comes back to him and he looks to curl it into the top corner. Lloris glad to see it fly away from goal.
43` France 0-0 Australia
Pavard puts in a brilliant cross towards Griezmann and it looks like he might put France ahead. Enter Sainsbury and his outstretched leg to block the cross just before it reached the Atletico man. Cleared away by Risdon.
40` France 0-0 Australia
Kante does what he does best as he wins the ball in front of the dugout but the ref doesn’t like how he went about it and gives a free kick the other way. Deschamps and the whole French bench can’t believe it. Kante doesn’t protest and simply runs off to try and win the ball back.
38` France 0-0 Australia
Theo goes down in a heap as Nabbout clatters into him. Theo cries out in agony but only a warning for Nabbout and no cards.