France vs Australia 4-1: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

And that’s a wrap on day three of the Qatar World Cup.

Four games to look forward to tomorrow as well.

Morocco vs Croatia (1pm/10:00 GMT)

Germany vs Japan (4pm/13:00 GMT)

Spain vs Costa Rica (7pm/16:00 GMT)

Belgium vs Canada (10pm/19:00 GMT)

Scenes of joy for the French:

Barring Brazil in 2006, every World Cup winner since 1998 has crashed out in the group stages.

It’s a trend that began with France in 2002. In 2022, will it end with them?

Didn’t we all need that after those successive nil-all draws earlier in the day?

4.2 – France 🇫🇷 recorded 4.2 Expected Goals (xG) against Australia 🇦🇺, the highest so far in the 2022 World Cup.#FRAAUS #FRA #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/GymnVbhBh6

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 22, 2022

Lloris wears the armband but Mbappe is the undoubted leader for France on the pitch.

The intensity and drive in his game set the tone for the rest of the team. Right until the final whistle, he didn’t stop running.

Elite mentality.

Giroud when everyone said France were in trouble without Benzema pic.twitter.com/D8VST8Bf2F

— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) November 22, 2022

Nice and easy for the defending champions then.

Still got four minutes to play here.

Very much in favour of the obscene amounts of added time … but why not just stop the clock? Like in all the other sports?

— Tom Peck (@tompeck) November 22, 2022

No hat-trick for Giroud today, as he’s subbed off for Marcus Thuram.

Jules Kounde is on for Pavard too.

Mbappe mis-controls Griezmann’s lofted ball and Ryan cleans up. France are up 4-1, but Mbappe looks livid with himself. His first touch let him down there.

Substitutions for France.

Tchouameni and Dembele are off. Coman and Fofana are on.

Giroud didn’t have a shot on target in the last World Cup but he’s already got two goals here today. There’s still time for more.

Olivier Giroud equals Thierry Henry as France's all-time top scorer (51) 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/zCgusC6inG

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 22, 2022

The all-time leading goal scorers in the history of the France national team: pic.twitter.com/dgXjk0FpnB

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) November 22, 2022

GOAL FOR FRANCE!

It’s Giroud again! Mbappe breaks down the left and his cross is headed home by Giroud. Too easy, that.

Benzema who?

GOAL FOR MBAPPE!

He squeezes between the two Australian centre backs and heads home Dembele’s delicious cross. He’s been after a goal all night and he’s finally got it!

Tchouameni is on the receiving end of a rough tackle. He’s back on his feet, but Deschamps isn’t pleased and is having a word with the official on the touchline.

Tchouameni and Rabiot have been solid in midfield, putting in strong performances despite making their World Cup debuts.

Reminder that Rabiot was close to joining Man United in the summer:

Adrien Rabiot goal and assist… Erik ten Hag, what was your plan?!

— . (@Nigerianscamsss) November 22, 2022

Moments after his booking, Australia take Duke off the pitch.

56' Our first change of the night up top.

⬆️: Jason Cummings
⬇️: Mitch Duke #FRA 2-1 #AUS | #FIFAWorldCup #GiveIt100 #Socceroos pic.twitter.com/zWmxQ6VMJ2

— Socceroos (@Socceroos) November 22, 2022

Duke becomes the first player to go in the book after scything down Dembele. You can almost hear Deschamps’s heart rate pick up each time one of his players goes down.