Despite the Socceroos scoring their first open play goal in a World Cup since 2014, coach Graham Arnold conceded the French squad were too good for the Aussies as they were thumped 4-1 in the opening match of their campaign.
The French, who were the heavy favourites going into the match, were likely left dumbfounded after Socceroos forward Craig Good thrust Australia into the lead after just nine minutes.
“I thought the first half, we did well. Second half, we ran out of legs a bit, but that’s the type of level of those players play at." “Physically they were just so much bigger, faster and stronger than us today. Overall, the boys did everything they could and that’s all I can ask,” he said in the post-match press conference.
The goal was set up by an exceptional long ball from centre back Harry Souttar to the feet of Mathew Leckie who cut inside French defender Lucas Hernadez before he sent the ball across the goal and into the path of Goodwin. Les Blues put forward another attacking wave five minutes later which saw Olivier Giroud score as the Socceroos fumbled the ball as they tried to play it out from defence.
Paris Saint-Germain megastar Kylian Mbappe passed the ball across goal to a wide open Ousmane Dembele who fired it back into the box for the 23-year-old Frenchman to head it home.
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