France started the defence of their FIFA World Cup title with a come-from-behind 4-1 victory over Australia on Tuesday evening.
The injury-hit Les Bleus started with their best possible attacking line-up, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud all squeezed in. Meanwhile, South African referee Victor Gomes was officiating in his first ever World Cup.
France pinned the Socceroos back in their own half but were punished on a counter-attack with just nine minutes on the clock after Craig Goodwin converted Mathew Leckie's square pass at the back post.
Didier Deschamps' charges remained on the front foot and Adrien Rabiot levelled matters just before the half-hour mark with a free header after a cross by Theo Hernandez.
Australia looked to play out from the back but they made a mistake from a high press by the reigning champions, as Giroud made it 2-1 five minutes later with a tap-in from a square pass by Rabiot.
The tail end of the first stanza still had chances despite a lopsided balance of play as Mbappe missed a sitter for Les Bleus on the stroke of halftime before Jackson Irvine came close to the equaliser for the Socceroos with a header that clipped the far post.
France kept Graham Arnold's men back-pedaling in the opening period of the second stanza and threatened to get a two-goal cushion on 67 minutes after Griezmann had a shot in the box cleared off the line.
However, Mbappe eventually calmed the nerves for Les Bleus, as he made 3-1 just moments later with header that went in off the post from a cross by Dembele.
Giroud put the result beyond doubt soon thereafter with another header from a cross by Mbappe to complete his brace, while also equalling Thiery Henry's record as the joint-top all-time leading goal-scorer with 51 goals.
Australia were kept on their toes after Les Bleus refreshed their team in the closing stages, as Kingsley Coman and Youssouf Fofana both came on for Dembele and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Les Bleus were able to see out the remaining stages with relative ease, as they moved top of Group D after Tunisia and Denmark played to a goalless draw in their opener.
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