Faced with a weak team from Australia, the France team started its World Cup perfectly (4-1) on Tuesday evening.
Special Envoy to Doha
In a desert atmosphere and an almost empty stadium even before the end of the match, a sign of a relative taste for football in this region of the world, the Blues did not tremble to start their World Cup (4-1) against the ‘Australia.
Well helped by the weakness of the Socceroos, this French team will have revealed two faces, before making the difference thanks to its innkeepers and proved despite everything that there was still work to do before advancing like the steamroller of 2018. This falls well, Denmark are on the road to world champions on Saturday.
Australians are putting the air conditioning on…
Before a reaction of pride from the Blues
Hugo Lloris had warned everyone, but not enough, assuring that it was not enough to enter with the world champion sign on his back to win. For twenty-five minutes, the Blues were hard to see in the air-conditioned Al-Janoub stadium. Late, not aggressive enough, badly placed… A real football mush. And at very high level, even against a weak Australian team, the sentence falls. Goodwin, well helped by Pavard’s total disinterest in marking, shot Lloris, abandoned (0-1, 8e). This time a real blow of air conditioning. Action doubly penalizing since in addition to the goal, Lucas Hernandez was injured, replaced by his brother, his face bruised by pain. Never a good sign when you know the warrior that is the Munich player. It took a new blow of heat with this strike from Duke very close to clearing the skylight of Lloris (22e), so that the men of Deschamps find colors. Under the impetus of a Mbappé of the great evenings.
Read alsoThe notes of the Blues against Australia: Mbappé as boss, Giroud in history
Mbappé in all the right moves
The Parisian, undisputed leader of the selection with Benzema’s package, did not shirk his responsibilities. We told you, he loves it. Over all. Being on the front of the stage excites him. On his left side, he sounded the revolt and woke up apathetic Blues. To the point of giving poor Atkinson a nightmare for weeks. If he is not involved in Rabiot’s equalizing goal (1-1, 26e), magnificently served by Theo Hernandez who once again showed all his offensive qualities on Tuesday evening, Mbappé was all the other shots. Unstoppable by his percussion, his speed, he is decisive in his delivery for Giroud which allows the Blues to go back in front (2-1, 32e). But beyond its accelerations (37e42e62e) he confirmed to the whole world his state of form and his ambitions in the quest for a new star in Doha. Sign of resplendent health, he even allowed himself to score with a header, his weak point (3-1, 68th), before in the process of being a decisive passer for his new friend Giroud (4-1, 71e). Monstrous. His World Cup is launched with dignity.
Giroud equal to Henry
What to say also of that of Olivier Giroud. At 36, the second top scorer in the history of the Blues before this match, who changed status in three days with Benzema’s package, planted two fox goals from the surfaces. Sound 50e et 51e, which makes him now the equal of Thierry Henry in the legend of the France team. Not nothing for a boy whose presence in Qatar was not assured a month ago. Precious in his pivotal role, the “target man” took advantage of the percussion of Mbappé and a twirling Theo Hernandez, to offer himself, from his first meeting in Qatar, more goals than during his entire campaign in Russia four years ago. Not insignificant to see him receive a more than warm hug from his coach during his exit at the end of the match (89e, replaced by Thuram). After a delay in ignition, the Blues therefore did the job on Tuesday evening in a very disappointing atmosphere. But the World Cup will not offer such a weak opponent every day. Next meeting Saturday against Denmark, held in check by Tunisia (1-1). A second victory and the round of 16 would (already) reach out to them.
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