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Photos: Giroud equals record as holders France beat Australia 4-1

Defending champions started their World Cup campaign with a win, as Olivier Giroud become France’s joint record scorer.

Dembele running next to Giroud and smiling at him, as Giroud runs with his arms out
France's Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring their second goal with Ousmane Dembele [Matthew Childs/Reuters]
Published On 22 Nov 2022

Olivier Giroud netted twice to become France’s joint record scorer as they fought back to put Australia to the sword, opening their World Cup defence with a 4-1 win in Group D on Tuesday, which silenced talk of a holders’ curse.

Australia had taken a stunning lead at Al Janoub Stadium when Craig Goodwin applied a super finish to Mathew Leckie’s cross after nine minutes, but France levelled when Adrien Rabiot headed home and Giroud’s tap-in gave them the halftime lead.

Kylian Mbappe’s glancing header in the 68th minute was followed by Giroud’s 51st international goal three minutes later, drawing him level with Thierry Henry as France’s all-time top marksman.

French coach Didier Deschamps’s side, who lead Group D after rivals Denmark and Tunisia drew 0-0 earlier on Tuesday, ended a run of poor starts for World Cup holders after the previous three – Italy, Spain and Germany – all failed to win their openers.

A motion blurred picture of three green-uniformed players from the back running onto the field
Australia's players warm up prior to the start of the World Cup Group D football match between France and Australia [Francisco Seco/AP Photo]
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Fans hold World Cup replica against a blurred background of French flags in the stadium
A France fan holds a replica World Cup trophy in the stadium before the match [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Bird's eye view of the pitch, where many people hold up a flag of Australia and France on each side of a big glowing trophy
Team flags on the pitch, inside the stadium, before the match [Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters]
Mbappe kicking a ball with Australian players on each side of him
Stepping onto the pitch, France's Kylian Mbappe quickly reminds everyone just how good a player he is [Paul Childs/Reuters]
Goodwin on his knees, with both arms up, one pointing to the right
Craig Goodwin celebrates scoring an early goal for Australia [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Hernandez from the back flanked by two medics, one with his arm around him
France's Lucas Hernandez limps off the pitch after receiving medical attention [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
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Goal keeper with legs wide, looking intently at the ball coming at him as Rabiot is in mid-air, with foot still in a kick and arms out
France's Adrien Rabiot scores an equaliser, bringing the score to 1-1 [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Mbappe in mid-air, his body twisted, as three Australian players run behind him
France's Kylian Mbappe misses a chance to score as Australia struggles to contain the World Cup defending champions [Matthew Childs/Reuters]
From the top, ref holds up a card as Duke walks past him. Behind him three French players crowd over Dembélé on the ground
The referee shows a yellow card to Australia's Mitchell Duke, the first player to receive one during the match [Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters]
Mbappe in mid-air, face contorted after having hit the ball with his head, sweat flying around them, and two Australian players on either side of him with equally contorted faces
Squeezing between two Australian centre backs, France's Mbappe scores France's third goal [Issei Kato/Reuters]
From the side and top, Giroud's left foot in a kick near the goal with the ball hovering above it, as several other players are in motion next to him
France's Olivier Giroud scores his side's fourth goal, bringing the game's final score to 4-1 [Molly Darlington/Reuters]
Giroud hugs coach, with a smile on his face
Giroud embraces his coach, Didier Deschamps, after being substituted in the closing minutes of the match. Giroud leaves the game one goal shy of becoming France's outright top scorer [Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP]