World Cup 2018: Three early surprises in the Group Stage

#2 Australia

Mooy did an excellent job in keeping Pogba quiet

Now, the Socceroos may not have gotten a single point from their opener against France. However, the team was close to achieving their aim. The Australians successfully contained the likes of Mbappe, Pogba, and Dembele. The French forwards simply could not find space in the box and the midfielders were frustrated.

Aaron Mooy and the rest of the midfielders did their job well in hunting for the ball and quickly closing down on the France national team. It was surprising to see Australia so tough to break down and resilient. Generally, Les Bleus were not creative or inspirational. Australia's performance would surely make Didier Deschamps reconsider his team's style of play and conviction in the competition.

Australia will still have to face Peru and Denmark. The Europeans secured all three points after a 1-0 victory. If the Socceroos are able to put up such a high-level performance once again, it is foreseeable that they can get a positive result from the remaining two fixtures.