When Craig Goodwin beat French goalkeeper and skipper Hugo Lloris in the 10th minute to score Australia’s opening goal in the Group D opener against the reigning world champions, it seemed a second major upset was on the cards with World No.3 Argentina already having been stunned by World No.51 Saudi Arabia earlier in the day.
Fortunately for France, their star striker Kylian Mbappe, 23, could do what Argentine star Lionel Messi couldn’t—resurrect his team.
Though the scoresheet highlights a brace by veteran forward Olivier Giroud (32nd and 71st minute) besides an Adrien Rabiot equaliser (27th min), the hero of the night was Mbappe, who, with his deathly runs and trickery teased the Australians into submission. He even got his name onto the scoresheet in the 68th minute where he proved that his head is as good as his lightning quick feet.
If France’s pre-match practice sessions were any indication, Mbappe was destined to do well on the night. While taking practice shots at goal before the game, the 2018 World Cup’s Best Young Player, was pin-point accurate with his kicks from either side of the striking circle, finding the far corner of the net on every occasion except one. And he would have taken almost a dozen shots.
France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring against Australia on Tuesday; (right) Olivier Giroud acknowledges the crowd after the brace. Pic/Getty Images
Mbappe began the match by showing off his brilliance in the very first minute, when he tried to get past Australian defenders Nathaniel Atkinson and Harry Souttar from the left, but was somehow kept at bay. Across the next 89 minutes, Atkinson and Souttar would see a lot more of him—just like an irritatingly bothering neighbor, who knocks down your door every now and then for some silly reason.
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Lucas Hernandez ruled out
Eight minutes later, Australia scored even as France lost left-back Lucas Hernandez, who had to be stretchered off after spraining his leg and was subsequently ruled out of the tournament. Mbappe, however, seemed unfazed, and did not even bother rushing for the restart. Ten minutes later, Mbappe had the ball at his feet again, and instantaneously turned and darted down the left, only for Souttar to block again. The Frenchman’s moves though had by now inspired his team and rattled the Australian defence and consequently Rabiot headed in the equaliser.
With the Aussie defence focused on Mbappe, his other teammates upfront, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Giroud were left with ample space. Rabiot fed Giroud for France’s second goal.
With 39 minutes on the clock, Mbappe was at it again. This time he sent in a teasing cross to Dembele, who failed to control. Five minutes later, Griezmann provided Mbappe with a perfect aerial ball right in front of goal, but the PSG star was hurried into the volley and sent it above the Aussie goal. Mbappe held his head in disappointment, but a minute later was back in the Aussie box only to be thwarted by Atkinson this time.
The second session began with Giroud attempting and missing what would have been a spectacular bicycle kick off a Theo Hernandez pass. But given his fast and furious feet, Mbappe needed no bicycle to initiate another tearing run down the left combined with a stepover almost mocking the Aussies before his shot came off the defence again. Now, it was Dembele’s turn to return the favour (a sharp cross) to Mbappe and the striker headed home despite not being in the best of positions in the air.
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Best in world: Deschamps
Mbappe capped a fine night that also included a couple of deft backheels with a gift for Giroud. The striker sprinted down the left again, leaving Atkinson and Souttar behind, before launching an aerial cross which was met by Giroud’s head for 4-1. Again, Mbappe was in no hurry to restart the game even as the entire Aussie team were waiting in position for kick off. Instead, he calmly walked to the sideline where he was handed his sipper by a member of the support staff, took a swig and smiled at boss Didier Deschamps, who later lavished praise on the fleet-footed youngster. “Kylian has been one of the best in the world. He is feeling very confident which can be seen in the way he is playing. I always knew that he was ready for this World Cup. This is his competition,” Deschamps said at the post-match presser.
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