90+5min: FULL TIME.
90min: 5 minutes of added-on time.
84min: Youngest player at the World Cup, Daniel Arzani is on for Australia!
80min: Pogba! Out of nowhere, really. Goal-line technology gives this one.
78min: Last sub for Deschamps as Matuidi comes on for Tolisso.
76min: Tolisso takes one for the team with a yellow as he stops a 4-v-3 counter after a poor turnover by France. Mooy works it wide, but the cross is blocked and the opportunity gone.
70min: France switch things up. Giroud on for Griezmann, Fekir on for Dembélé. Australia respond by putting on a big man of their own in Irvine. Rogic makes way.
60min: Umtiti with a randomly hilarious handball gifts a penalty back to Australia. No need for VAR there. Jedinak makes no mistake. And it’s 1-1.
58min: It’s almost 2-0 straight away, but France’s well-worked shot is blocked.
54min: France almost break through, but a sensational tackle prevents the 1-v-1 for Griezmann. But wait, the decision goes to VAR ... and it’s reversed to a penalty! Seems like the right call from the video room. Griezmann makes no mistake with an emphatic take.
48min: Back underway in the second half of what’s been a disappointing effort so far from France.
45min: Australia finishing the half the better of the two teams, a couple half-chances flashing wide of the post after some good buildup. 1 minute added-on.
40min: The referee’s quick whistle leading to several dives and plenty of playacting. On the other hand, they are about the most exciting things happening.
33min: Hernandez is found in space on the left side of the penalty area, and hits a low shot towards the far post. Blocked. Tempot continues to favor Australia.
29min: Australia have succeeded in disrupting France’s rhythm. They have even worked a couple good chances and have come closest to actually scoring.
20min: A series of somewhat harsh calls go against Australia; Jedinak not happy, nor are the thousands of yellow-shirted fans in the stadium.
17min: Lloris with a tremendous save to prevent an own goal from Tolisso on an excellent free kick delivery from Mooy.
13min: Leckie first into the book for a dangerous late tackle on Lucas Hernandez. Australia defend the resulting set piece(s) well.
8min: Two more saves for Brighton’s Matt Ryan in the Australia goal.
5min: Mbappé draws a foul and a promising position, but Pogba’s effort is straight at the goalkeeper. It’s all France so far, with Australia sitting deep and hoping to hit France on the counter.
2min: Mbappé tests the goalkeeper in what should be a pretty easy game for Les Blues. Parried for a corner, which creates no additional danger.
KICK-OFF: And we’re under way on Day 3 of the 2018 World Cup!
The World Cup is barely three-days-old and we’ve already had 13 goals, two late winners, and a late game-tying goal to secure a hat-trick. Cristiano Ronaldo’s equalizer, his third goal of the day, made Portugal 3-3 Spain an instant classic, and that followed two games that were decided in the dying moments.
What will today’s quadruple-header action bring? Maybe not something as spectacular, exciting, memorable, and flat out fun, but perhaps something close. Or maybe something even better!
First up, another one of the favorites in France versus the wonderfully nicknamed Socceroos of Australia.
France starting lineup (4-3-3):
Lloris | Hernandez, Umtiti, Varane, Pavard | Pogba, Kanté, Tolisso | Dembélé, Griezmann, Mbappé
Substitutes from: Kimpembe, Lemar, Giroud, Matuidi, N’Zonzi, Mandanda, Rami, Fekir, Sidibé, Thauvin, Mendy, Areola
Australia starting lineup (4-4-2):
Ryan | Behich, Milligan, Sainsbury, Risdon | Kruse, Mooy, Jedinak, Leckie | Rogić, Nabbout
Substitutes from: Degenek, Meredith, Cahill, Jurman, Luongo, Jurić, Jones, MacLaren, Arzani, Vuković, Petratos, Irvine
Date / Time: Saturday, June 16, 2018, 11:00 BST; 6am EDT
Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Referee: Andrés Cunha (Uruguay)
On TV: BBC One (UK); Fox Sports 1, Telemundo (USA); elsewhere
Streaming online: BBC iPlayer (UK); FOX Sports Go, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo; Sling World Cup (USA)
Stay tuned for updates, highlights, etc.
And be excellent to each other.