France squeeze past Australia after VAR makes first critical World Cup intervention

Is Peru vs Denmark at 5pm this afternoon. France will be in action next on Thursday afternoon against Peru. You'd expect Deschamps and his team will come in for a lot of criticism over the coming days for this afternoon's insipid display. 

Thanks to our pals at Opta, here are some stats to get your teeth from the game. 

• This is the fourth successive World Cup that France have started the tournament unbeaten (W2 D2 L0), last losing in 2002 against Senegal.
• Australia have lost four of their five opening World Cup games, with their only win coming against Japan in 2006.
• France have only managed to keep one clean sheet in their last seven international games, against Republic of Ireland in May.
• All four of Australian Mat Ryan’s saves vs France came in the opening eight minutes, with the keeper conceding the next two shots on target faced.
• The two penalties scored in the game between France and Australia were only four minutes, seven seconds apart - the shortest period of time between two penalties being scored by different sides in a World Cup match.

• France v Australia became the first World Cup match since Senegal v Uruguay in World Cup 2002 to see both teams score a penalty in normal time.
• France are unbeaten in the 18 games that Antoine Griezmann has scored in (W16 D2 L0).
• Antoine Griezmann has been directly involved in nine of France's last 13 goals in major tournaments (World Cup and European Championships), with seven goals and two assists.
• The average age of France’s starting XI (24y 196d) was their youngest in a World Cup match since July 1930 vs Chile.
• At 19 years and 178 days old, Kylian Mbappe is the youngest player to make an appearance at a major tournament for France (World Cup and European Championships).
• Daniel Arzani has become the youngest player to ever make a World Cup appearance for Australia (19y 163d).

First VAR, and then goal-line technology had a hand in France's goals. The first one was debatable but in my mind probably the right call; the second was a reminder of how invaluable goal-line technology is. Imagine if France hadn't won because the linesman hadn't spotted the ball crossed the line?

That's it! France have beaten Australia 2-1. 

Behich hauls in a long throw for Australia, but Pavard hacks the ball away. 

Australia in possession but no penetration as yet. 

Five minutes of time to be added on. 

Australia look pretty spent here. Can they dig into their reserves and lift themselves for one last effort? They get a big let-off after Mbappe, Fekir and Pogba make a mess of a France counter. 

Behich goes into the book for bringing down Fekir after getting the wrong side of the Lyon forward. 

Goal-line technology absolutely invaluable for Pogba's goal, as the ball was only over the line by millimetres. Lawro of course complained about it.  Genuinely. 

Australia change - Kruse off for Arzani. What do the Aussies have left?

What a crazy goal. Pogba bursts into the box, and is tackled by the luckless Behich, who inadvertently deflects the ball into his own goal. The ball actually bounces off the bar and into Ryan's hands, but the goal-line technology says goal. The stadium announcer says it's Pogba's goal but that will surely ultimately be given as an OG?

France make their final change - Mutuidi on for Tolisso. 

Yellow card for Tolisso after cynically chopping down Juric, who was breaking clear for Australia. 

A France corner is cleared to Pavan, who attempts a David Platt-style scissor kick from 25 yards out. Fair to say it doesn't go quite as planned and skews well wide. 

Australia respond with a change of their own. Irvine of Hull replaces Rogic of Celtic to freshen up the Australia midfield. 

This game feels absolutely made for a Giroud winner by the way. 

Deschamps has finally had enough and makes a double change. Surprisingly it's Griezmann coming off for Giroud. Fekir also comes on, replacing Dembele. 

France look rattled by giving away such a monumentally stupid equaliser. Australia by contrast are full of confidence, zipping passes about. They couldn't pull off an almighty upset could they?

Australia make a change - Juric on for Nabbout. Like for like change up front. 

Jedinak cooly sends Lloris the wrong way, and we're level in Kazan! 

It's all happening here! Mooy floats in another dangerous free-kick, which Umtiti punches away with his hand. What was he thinking? It's a penalty for Australia! 

France nearly double their lead straight away, but Griezmann pulls his shot just wide. 

And you're not going to believe this, but Mark Lawrenson in commentary doesn't agree with the decision and doesn't like VAR!

Griezmann takes a short run-up and buries the penalty into the goalkeeper's left-hand corner. Brilliant penalty. 

The ref gives the penalty after consulting the VAR! That looked very borderline but the correct decision has probably just about been reached. Risdon was last man but it's only a booking as the tackle was not a deliberate foul. 

Big moment here as Griezmann goes down in the box under Risdon's tackle. France want a penalty but the referee is unsure. He goes to the VAR!

 Oooh, Australia look dangerous but the ball won't drop for Nabbout in the box after some intricate passing down the right. Umtiti eventually hacks clear. 

After the joy of last night, this feels like the resulting hangover. France still really flat, and you feel Deschamps needs to make a change to re-energise the team. 

France playing with a bit more urgency at the start of the half, but still they can't carve open this resolute Aussie defence. 

We're back under way in Kazan. No changes for either side.  

Not a great half, truth be told. France started brightly but have since faded badly and looked completely bereft of ideas. Australia by contrast look like they know exactly what they're doing, and grew more and more comfortable as the match wore on.   

You'd expect Deschamps would turn to his bench and bring on one or more of Giroud, Lemar or Fekir if things don't change in the first 15 minutes or so of the second half. 

The half-time whistle blows. Australia manager Bert van Marwijk will be delighted with that; Didier Deschamps not so much. 

Now it's Australia's turn to come forward, and Behich has a go from range but it flies high and wide. Just the one minute of time to be added on. 

Trent Sainsbury, who's also been very solid, does brilliantly to nip in and get a toe to the ball to deny Griezmann just inside the Australia penalty area. 

Milligan again does brilliantly to dispossess Dembele. Mooy then mops up and gets the ball clear. And that pretty much sums up the first half. 

Hernandez is down after a meaty challenge from Nabbout near the French corner flag. The Aussies not afraid to stick the boot in this half. 

Mooy gives the ball away to Mbappe but instantly wins it back with a perfectly-timed tackle. Mooy and Jedinak are forming a very effective shield in front of the Aussie back four. 

France move through the gears and find the left-back Hernandez in space just inside the box. Hernandez whips a cross-shot in low, but Milligan gets another excellent block in. He and his fellow Aussie defenders have been immense so far. 

France very nearly get in behind, but Griezmann can't quite get Pogba's pass under control in the box. Australia survive. 

Australia growing in belief, and they win another free-kick in a dangerous area when Leckie is scythed down by Pogba. Mooy curls this one into the box from out wide on the right, but Lloris comes out and claims. 

In other news, I don't think I can take another hour of Mark Lawrenson.

Australia are breaking the game up cleverly with lots of niggly fouls. This time it's the Celtic forward Rogic who pulls down Pavard. 

Australia have taken the sting out of this in the last few minutes. Dembele then gets poleaxed by Sainsbury, but the referee inexplicably says no free-kick. 

Australia so nearly take the lead! Mooy's free-kick from the right is a horror to defend, and Tolisso very nearly turns it into his net. Lloris spares his blushes with an excellent save down to his left. Set pieces are where Australia are going to hurt France today. 

Another clipped ball over the top just evades Mbappe, whose movement is causing Australia real problems. Mbappe will surely make Australia pay sooner or later. 

Leckie is the first player into the book for a late tackle on Hernandez. Griezmann floats an inviting one in from the left-hand side about 40 yards out, which Mooy heads away well. 

Behich bursts forward for Australia and wins a free-kick from Pavard. Mooy whips it in from the left-hand side but Leckie's header flies way over the bar. Still it's a first effort of the game from Australia. 

Mbappe can't quite latch onto Griezmann's clever flick as France build yet another attack. The Australian fans ironically cheer the team's every pass as they finally get a bit of possession. 

Mbappe's floated free-kick from the left-hand side drifts harmlessly into Ryan's arms. No respite for the Aussies at the moment. 

Mark Lawrenson is on co-comms incidentally. "It’s like being forced to watch the game with your really annoying out of touch uncle" says my brother. 

A delightful France move that starts with a gorgeous Mbappe flick ends with a Griezmann sighter from about 20 yards that again is straight down Ryan's throat. France well on top here, bright start. 

Pogba takes the free-kick from about 25 yards but it's straight at Ryan, who makes a very comfortable save. 

Australia  are sat very deep with everyone but Nabbout behind the ball. Mbappe is playing in the centre forward role for France, and wins a free-kick in a dangerous position after drawing a foul from Milligan with a clever turn. 

Mbappe gets in behind the Australia defence and squeezes in a shot from a tight angle that Ryan beats away. 

We're under way in Kazan. A reminder of the teams for this one:

France: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Kante, Pogba, Tolisso; Griezmann, Mbappe, Dembele.

Australia: Ryan; Milligan, Behich, Risdon, Sainsbury; Mooy, Jedinak; Rogic, Leckie, Kruse; Nabbout. 

Tim Cahill is on the bench for Australia. 

France belt out La Marseillaise - is there a fine anthem anywhere in the world? Not for me, Clive. 

Certainly not Advance Australia Fair, which is good, but nowhere near as epic. (And far less bloodthirsty). 

We're expecting Australia - managed by Bert van Marwijk of Holland trying to kick Spain off the park in 2010 fame - to sit in deep and try and catch France on the break. 

An early France goal would force them out and open up the game nicely. 

Amazing to think of the players France have on their bench - including Blaise Matuidi, Thomas Lemar and Nabil Fekir. That said the likes of Dimitri Payet, Alexandre Lacazette and Aymeric Laporte  couldn't even make the squad. 

If Didier Deschamps can harness the monumental talent in his squad, they really should be making the semis at least. 

If you haven't already, give this a read - an absolutely comprehensive analysis of how to pick a World Cup winner by sports data journalist Alistair Tweedale. 

So, will it be France?

France's strikeforce of Mbappe, Griezmann and Dembele is just absurd. The three behind them of Kante, Pogba and Bayern Munich youngster Tolisso is also pretty formidable. 

For Australia there are a few familiar faces in the starting XI, including the Brighton goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, Huddersfield midfielder Aaron Mooy and Aston Villa enforcer Mile Jedinak. 

Excited for this, should be very good. 

The starting XIs are in, and they are as follows:

Or in written form:

France: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Kante, Pogba, Tolisso; Griezmann, Mbappe, Dembele.

Australia: Ryan; Milligan, Behich, Risdon, Sainsbury; Mooy, Jedinak; Rogic, Leckie, Kruse; Nabbout. 

Jim White writes:

Kazan is full of Australia fans desperately looking for somewhere to buy sandpaper.

Morning all, Welcome to our coverage of what looks like being a thoroughly enjoyable Group C match between France and Australia. 

If the match goes to expectations, it'll be a comfortable victory for the French, who on paper at least have one of the strongest squads in the tournament. 

The impressive Raphael Varane marshalls a solid-looking defence, which is protected by N'Golo Kante, who in turn allows Paul Pogba to bomb forward and join the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe up front.  Any squad that has no room for Alexandre Lacazette, Kingsley Coman and Aymeric Laporte (to name just three of a host of stars) has to be taken pretty seriously. 

Australia on the other hand come into the tournament on the back of a pretty turbulent period thatonly saw manager Bert van Marwijk appointed in January after Ange Postecoglu quit at the end of last year. 

The Socceroos were also not especially impressive in qualifying, and needed extra time to scrape past Syria in the play-off stage.

Their squad is not at the level of years gone by when the likes of Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka were to the fore, though there is a familiar face in the squad in the shape of the evergreen Tim Cahill. 

Now 38, Cahill is the only 'unattached' player at the World Cup having been being released by Championship side Millwall in May. Amazingly, after netting at the last three World Cups, he could become just the fifth player ever to score at four separate finals if he nets in Russia over the next few weeks. 

The other four if you're interested are the German pair Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler, a certain Brazilian named Pele, and after last night's heroics Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Anyway, back to today's match. France will be keen to build some early momentum ahead of stiffer-looking tests against Denmark and Peru. Personally I would be very surprised if they didn't get the three points today - I'm going for a 3-0 France win.