Depth and durability prove to be crucial for France in come-from-behind win over Australia

DOHA, Qatar -- After going down early, reigning World Cup champions France came roaring backmost astatine Al-Janoub Stadium connected Tuesday to bushed Australia 4-1 successful Group D.

Australia's Craig Goodwin scored successful conscionable the ninth infinitesimal arsenic French defender Lucas Hernández went down connected the play. But France responded with 4 unanswered goals from Adrien Rabiot, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé to win.

Here is ESPN's Julien Laurens with absorption and investigation from Qatar.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid Reaction

1. France stumble astatine first, but get their winning start

It was not casual for Les Bleus -- it ne'er is against Australia (remember 2018 successful Russia), and it is ne'er casual successful their World Cup openers (remember 2002, 2006, 2010). But a triumph is simply a win, and France volition instrumentality that for now.

Considering the caller play -- the injuries, including the past 1 ruling retired Karim Benzema from the tourney 3 days ago, the tensions, the uncertainties -- positive the nerves of this archetypal game, Tuesday's triumph is simply a commencement that could beryllium much invaluable than conscionable 3 points for manager Didier Deschamps and his players. Les Bleus showed character, determination and turned things around, which volition bring them a batch of momentum.

There are things to amended and to correct, of people -- particularly defensively -- but erstwhile the pieces of this new-look squad fell into the close place, with Antoine Griezmann taking a portion to set to his caller relation of a hybrid No. 8/No. 10, it was overmuch better. The shot question became much fluid, the signifier of the squad was much balanced and France took control.

To triumph the World Cup backmost to back, a feat lone achieved by Italy successful 1934 and 1938 and Brazil successful 1958 and 1962, France volition request much power and much solidity. They mislaid different starter done injury, Lucas Hernandez, and it volition proceed to trial France's depth.

But for now, the French broadside volition beryllium happy. Only 1 reigning champion had won their opening crippled successful the past 5 World Cups, Brazil successful 2006. France successful 2002, Italy successful 2010, Spain successful 2014 and Germany successful 2018 each failed to bash so. For this, France can't beryllium excessively upset astir the extremity they conceded.

2. Giroud equals Henry's record

Olivier Giroud likes to accidental that his shot vocation is an endless caller beginning. It sums up his vocation and however helium keeps rising, adjacent erstwhile helium is expected to fall.

Giroud scored his 50th and 51st planetary goals for France against Australia for his 115th cap, equaling Thierry Henry's grounds for the French men's team, but with 8 games less. It is an unthinkable accomplishment for an unthinkable destiny.

The AC Milan striker was not definite to beryllium portion of this adventure. Deschamps had his doubts astir Giroud and was hesitant to sanction him successful the squad. Then, helium was expected to beryllium Benzema's backmost up, but erstwhile again destiny played successful the 36-year-old's favour.

- World Cup 2022: News and features | Schedule | Squads

His archetypal extremity was a tap-in, similar Giroud has scored hundreds done his beingness -- but it is astir apt the astir important pat successful of his life. His 2nd was a header similar helium has scored hundreds successful his life, but again it is astir apt the astir important header of all.

In 2018, France won the World Cup without him scoring a azygous goal. He has 2 already successful this variation and the unit is disconnected his back.

Before the game, helium had a feeling that helium would find the net. He was besides 1 of the archetypal to congratulate Kylian Mbappé erstwhile the PSG striker, who is 13 years his inferior and assisted him connected his second, besides scored successful the 2nd half.

At 36 years old, Giroud became the oldest extremity scorer for France successful men's World Cup history, overtaking Zinedine Zidane. Beating Zidane and equalling Henry? What an unthinkable nighttime for Giroud.

3. Debutants who debut well

All eyes were connected them and connected the quadrate that they formed connected the pitch: Ibrahim Konaté, Dayot Upamecano, Aurélien Tchouameni, and Adrien Rabiot.

France's 2 centre-backs and 2 cardinal midfielders made their World Cup debut against Australia astatine the bosom of the France team, and they came successful with a batch of question marks surrounding them. The nerves intelligibly kicked in, and they each had a unspeakable archetypal 15 minutes, conceding a goal, losing duels, not winning 2nd balls and struggling to find their presumption connected the pitch.

Then Rabiot scored to marque it 1-1 and it each clicked. Suddenly, determination were ascendant and efficient. They volition look tougher tests, of course, starting with the adjacent crippled against Denmark connected Saturday, but for a debut, they went from spot to strength.

It is not casual to travel successful the steps of Raphael Varane who should beryllium backmost against the Danes), Samuel Umtiti, Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kanté and this is precise overmuch a quartet for the future. But the World Cup volition beryllium an astonishing learning curve.

These 4 players are respectively 23, 24, 22 and 27 years old. They person a combined full of 56 caps and until Tuesday had ne'er each played unneurotic for France, fto unsocial starting unneurotic and fto unsocial successful a World Cup game. For them arsenic well, similar for Giroud, it volition beryllium an unforgettable night.

Player ratings

France: Lloris 5, Pavard 5, Konaté 6, Upamecano 6, Theo 6, Rabiot 7, Tchouameni 6, Dembele 4, Griezmann 6, Mbappé 8, Giroud 7.

Australia: Ryan 4, Atkinson 2, Souttar 4, Rowles 3, Behich 4, Irvine 5, Mooy 4, McGree 4, Leckie 5, Duke 4, Goodwin 5.

Best and worst performers

BEST: Kylian Mbappé, France

Sometimes helium tried to bash excessively much, but helium was fantabulous on the near helping with his gait and his dribbling. His goal, a uncommon header, rewarded each his wizardry with the ball, and helium besides crossed the shot for Giroud's 2nd extremity portion helium could person scored more. Outstanding erstwhile again.

WORST: Nathaniel Atkinson, Australia

The Hearts right-back struggled each nighttime agelong against Mbappé. It was an ordeal for him, beaten by pace, by skills and it got adjacent worse erstwhile Theo Hernandez came connected for his member and brought his attacking broadside to the game.

Highlights and notable moments

Tuesday's Group D opener started successful astonishing manner arsenic Australia struck first.

In a treble whammy, French defender Lucas Hernandez went down injured arsenic Australia's Mathew Leckie blew past him, and delivered a shot for Craig Goodwin to tally onto and shoot.

Another look astatine Craig Goodwin's extremity that gives Australia an aboriginal lead!! 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/w7cplxbXyX

Lucas Hernandez was forced to travel out, replaced by his brother, Theo Hernandez, it didn't instrumentality excessively agelong for the reigning World Cup champions to level the score.

Adrien Rabiot recovered the equaliser with an assistance from the Hernandez who had travel connected for the wounded substitution.

From there, France took clasp of the seat and didn't fto go. There were immoderate nervy moments, including a changeable for Australia disconnected the station successful first-half stoppage time, but the ones scoring were the French team.

The eventual game-winner came from Olivier Giroud successful the 32nd minute.

After the match: What the players and managers said

Check backmost shortly...

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

• Entering Tuesday's game, reigning men's World Cup champions were 9-4-4 (W-L-D) successful their opening World Cup matches. The past reigning champion to triumph their archetypal lucifer was Brazil successful 2006.

• This is the 2nd fastest extremity France has ever conceded successful their opening crippled astatine a men's World Cup, and the fastest since 1982 erstwhile England's Bryan Robson scored successful the archetypal minute.

• With his goal, Olivier Giroud earlier became France's oldest extremity scorer successful men's World Cup history, a favoritism antecedently held by Zinedine Zidane.

Up next

France: Les Bleus continue their tally done Group D and look Denmark connected Saturday, Nov. 26 astatine 11 a.m. ET. Then, they decorativeness the radical signifier against Tunisia connected Wednesday, Nov. 30 astatine 10 a.m. ET.

Australia: The Socceroos proceed their tally done Group D and look Tunisia connected Saturday, Nov. 26 astatine 5 a.m. ET. Then, they decorativeness the radical signifier against Denmark connected Wednesday, Nov. 30 astatine 10 a.m. ET.