Legend questions 'surprising' Socceroos decision

2 years ago 88

Former Socceroos skipper Craig Foster has questioned wherefore Nathaniel Atkinson was not substituted earlier arsenic the Australian fullback predictably struggled to grip the toughest idiosyncratic duty successful satellite football.

Atkinson was tasked with marking France superstar Kylian Mbappe, who proceeded to torment the 23-year-old Tasmanian with his breathtaking gait and power.

Mbappe scored 1 extremity and acceptable up different as the defending World Cup champions recovered from Craig Goodwin's opening extremity to grounds a comfy 4-1 win.

Atkinson was yet pulled successful the 85th infinitesimal for Milos Degenek but Foster felt Socceroos manager Graham Arnold should person pulled the trigger overmuch earlier.

"We were 2-1 down (at halftime) but we were besides conceding a batch of bully chances, and it was clear, 45 minutes against Mbappe, it was wide helium was doing superbly good connected that side, truthful we thought possibly helium was going to alteration Atkinson earlier," Foster said connected SBS.

"He got done an unthinkable magnitude of work. I was amazed it took truthful agelong to change. Very adjacent to the extremity of the game. You're against the finest subordinate successful the world."

Watch Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe successful the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League, streaming ad-free, unrecorded and exclusive connected Stan Sport

Early successful the match, Socceroos fans mocked Mbappe with chants of "who are ya? who are ya?" aft helium mislaid the shot dribbling down the left.

That's arsenic bully arsenic it got for them.

Mbappe headed successful Ousmane Dembele's transverse from the close successful the 68th infinitesimal to commencement this World Cup arsenic helium finished the past - with a goal.

He knelt with 1 manus down his backmost and his digit connected his forehead successful a caller celebration.

Olivier Giroud past equalled Thierry Henry's nationalist grounds of 51 goals with a header from Mbappe's transverse successful the 71st minute.

Socceroos large Mark Bosnich has doffed his headdress to France megastar Kylian Mbappe, who scored a extremity and acceptable up different portion tormenting Australia successful the 4-1 win.

"Absolutely outstanding (from Mbappe), aft a tense commencement by the full French side," Socceroos large Mark Bosnich said connected SBS.

Craig Foster, Mark Bosnich and Breanna Holden sermon immoderate immense circular of 16 Champions League matchups and Graham Arnold's Socceroos World Cup squad

"He wasn't the lone one. They truly got a grip of the crippled and successful each fairness it could person been more. Some clearances disconnected the line.

"Mbappe himself missed an unbelievable accidental successful the archetypal half. For the archetypal 10 minutes, you person to say, Australia done truly well, but aft that you saw the reasons wherefore they are reigning satellite champions, and besides the extent successful their squad arsenic well.

"Well done to France. In my opinion, they volition spell heavy into the tournament."

Another erstwhile Socceroos star, John Aloisi, pulled nary punches successful analysing the performance.

"Atkinson I thought had a mediocre game. But it's not lone him," Aloisi, present the manager of Western United, said connected SBS.

Rabiot equalises for France

"Imagine however the players are feeling, due to the fact that they got wholly outclassed.

"We weren't successful the crippled aft our goal. That was it, that was america done, and they wholly dominated america and created accidental aft chance.

"We didn't find a way, a solution. Arnie (Socceroos manager Graham Arnold) spoke astir however helium was blessed with the archetypal half.

"I would accidental blessed with the archetypal 15 minutes but aft that they dominated us."

France was playing without the injured Karim Benzema, who was ruled retired of the World Cup past week.

Socceroos daze World Champs with Goodwin goal

But France showed it tin header without the Ballon d'Or victor arsenic Giroud, 36, scored a brace.

Giroud, who failed to people astatine the past World Cup but did find the nett astatine the 2014 tournament, tin interruption Henry's grounds erstwhile France faces Denmark connected Sunday.

"It's not conscionable astir chasing records but what helium ever does connected the field," France manager Didier Deschamps said.

"He's a precise important subordinate for us."

Deschamps besides joked that Mbappe could present go adjacent much lethal.

"He ever dreams astir scoring headers, truthful if helium starts doing that he'll beryllium adjacent much dangerous," Deschamps said, cracking a smile.

"I knew helium would beryllium acceptable contiguous due to the fact that this is his competition."

The lone dampener for Les Bleus was an wounded to star defender Lucas Hernandez.

"He needs to person tests but unluckily it does look beauteous serious," Deschamps said.

"That's the existent debased constituent astir tonight."

Australia's adjacent lucifer is against Tunisia connected Saturday.

Tunisia drew 0-0 with Denmark successful their opener.

"We volition prime the boys up, for sure," Arnold said.

"They should beryllium arrogant of their commitment, effort that they gave, but again, they are the satellite champions for a reason."

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