2018 FIFA World Cup, Match 5: France vs Australia – Preview
Jun 16, 2018 at 10:41 AM
The first of three games on Saturday sees one of the tournament favourites France taking on Australia. The Group C opponents will be desperate to start their World Cup campaigns on the right note when they meet in Kazan.
France, the runners up of Euro 2016, enter the game as strong favourites while their opponents have a herculean task of progressing ahead of the group stage. The team from Down Under will have to come up with a good result in this game before locking horns against Denmark and Peru.
Australia can take heart from the fact that France have earned the reputation of slow starters at World Cups. The 1998 winners have won only one of their past four opening games at the tournament. France might be the stronger side on the papers but Australia definitely knows a thing or two about springing surprises.
Sportzwiki brings you all you need to know ahead of the clash between the two sides.
Venue and time:
France and Australia will lock horns at Kazan Arena. The action will begin at 3:30 PM IST.
Players to look out for:
For the star-studded France, it is a case of which players to watch as Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe are supported in midfield by the likes of Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante and Ousmane Dembele. With potential match-winners in every department, France can give Australia a lot of headache.
On the other hand, Aaron Mooy will be the player to watch out for the Socceroos. He was in good form for Huddersfield last season. The eyes will be also on 38-year-old forward Tim Cahill.
Where to watch:
The Indians fans will enjoy an extensive coverage of the game. The English coverage will be shown on SONY TEN 2 SD and HD channels. The Hindi feed will be aired on SONY TEN 3 SD and HD channels. Bengali and Malayali feed will be available on SONY ESPN SD channel.
Squads:
Position | Australia players |
Goalkeepers | Ryan, Jones, Vukovic |
Defenders | Behich, Degenek, Jurman, Meredith, Risdon, Sainsbury |
Midfielders | Irvine, Jedinak, Luongo, Milligan, Mooy, Petratos, Rogic, |
Forwards | Cahill, Juric, Kruse, Leckie, Nabbout, Arzani, Maclaren |
Position | France players |
Goalkeepers | Lloris, Mandanda, Areola |
Defenders | Sidibe, Pavard, Rami, Varane, Umtiti, Kimpembe, Mendy, Hernandez |
Midfielders | Pogba, Matuidi, Tolisso, Kante, Nzonzi |
Forwards | Mbappe, Giroud, Griezmann, Dembele, Thauvin, Lemar, Fekir |
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