DOHA: This is how you do it. World Cup holders France taunted Argentina, at a distance, with a demonstration of how to kill off an underdog with their 4-1 despatch of Australia in Group D in Al Janoub.

The run-up to Qatar had not been kind to coach Didier Deschamps. Midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, two of his champions in 2018, were long-term casualties and the past two weeks had seen further losses of strikers Karim Benzema and Christopher Nkunku plus centre back Presnel Kimpembe.

Les Bleus even lost leftback Lucas Hernandez after 13 minutes in a vain attempt to prevent Mathew Leckie setting up a surprise Australian goal for Craig Goodwin. A torn ACL means he will miss the rest of the season, never mind this World Cup.

But injured pride is a dangerous weapon for any adversary. France held their nerve, raised their game and took command.

Theo Hernandez – substituting for his brother – crossed for Adrian Rabiot to equalise in the
27th minute. Five minutes later Australia messed up a play-out routine and Kylian Mbappe and Rabiot pressed down to set up No2 for Giroud.

No doubting who was in control now. France had shaken off the rust and were running like a smoothly-oiled machine. Giroud was just wide with an acrobatic scissors kick and Antoine Griezmann had a shot cleared off the line before Mbappe stretched above two defenders to head home Ousmane Dembele’s right-wing cross.

Only Just Fontaine (13), Thierry Henry (six) have scored more World Cup goals for France than Mbappe who is now level on five with all-time greats Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini.

Painfully for the Socceroos, Mbappe had not finished with them. The PSG superstar exploded down the left and lifted the ball over two defenders for Giroud to match Henry’s 51-goal record as France’s all-time top scorer. Not bad for a veteran: Giroud, at 36 years 53 days, was also the oldest man to play for France at the World Cup.

As if it mattered, the three headed goals were also a modern World Cup record.

###############