France v Australia, 22 November 2022

Kick-off: 10.00pm local (7.00pm GMT) . FIFA world ranking: France 4, Australia 38 . This was a re-run of the Group C opener four years earlier when France won 2-1 in Kazan and went on to win a World Cup tournament for the second time. . France had now scored four goals in each of three of their last five games at the World Cup finals. . This was the first time that France had won a game at the World Cup finals after conceding the opening goal since a Round of 16 game against Spain in Hannover in 2006. . Les Bleus had now won their opening game in three consecutive World Cup finals for the first time. . Olivier Giroud scored his 51st goal for France to become Les Bleus’ joint- record all-time scorer along with Thierry Henry. . This was the second time that Australia had conceded four or more goals in a game at the World Cup finals; previously 4-0 versus Germany at Durban in 2010. . The Socceroos had now lost their opening game in five of their six appearances at World Cup finals. . Aged 18 years and 68 days, Garang Kuol became Australia’s youngest-ever player at a World Cup finals. The previous record holder was Daniel Arzani when he played against France in the 2018 opener in Kazan, aged 19 years and 163 days. .