DOHA
\nThe injury-decimated defending champions had seen Argentina being upset just hours earlier in their opening match of the World Cup. Here, at the Al Janoub Stadium, designed in the shape of Qatar\u2019s traditional dhow boats, they were battling to avoid another against an Australian side that seemed buoyed by Saudi Arabia\u2019s stunning victory over Lionel Messi\u2019s Argentina.
\nWhile the Saudis had come from behind in their 2-1 win, Australia had taken the lead in the Group \u2018D\u2019 clash against Didier Deschamps\u2019 side in the ninth minute; Craig Goodwin firing in a fizzing cross from Matthew Leckie.
\nLeckie\u2019s turn before that cross had floored Lucas Hernandez \u2014 the left-back, one of six members in the starting lineup that had started the World Cup final in Moscow four years ago, twisting his knee and adding to France\u2019s injury woes.
\nInjuries also robbed France of their midfield spine comprising Paul Pogba and N\u2019Golo Kante but Adrien Rabiot stepped up in Al Janoub, showing the riches Deschamps has at his disposal.
\nHis towering header off a cross from Theo Hernandez \u2014 on for his brother Lucas \u2014 levelled matters in the 27th and five minutes later, he set up Olivier Giroud for a tap-in.
\nFrance were in full flow and Kylian Mbappe, the breakout star of the last World Cup, added a third in the 68th when he headed in Ousmane Dembele\u2019s cross before he provided the cross that Giroud powered in three minutes later to move level on 51 goals with Thierry Henry as France\u2019s top goalscorer.
\nFrance began their campaign in Russia with a 2-1 win against Australia. In Qatar, they\u2019ve done even better.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DOHA The injury-decimated defending champions had seen Argentina being upset just hours earlier in their opening match of the World Cup. Here, at the Al Janoub Stadium, designed in the shape of Qatar\u2019s traditional dhow boats, they were battling to avoid another against an Australian side that seemed buoyed by Saudi Arabia\u2019s stunning victory over […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-297077","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n