The Socceroos will advance to the round of 16 if they can defeat Denmark on Thursday morning (2am AEDT) after the Danes were downed 2-1 by France at Stadium 974.
For Australia to finish top of Group D, it would take a significant Socceroos victory and equally strong France defeat as the Aussies currently trail Les Tricolores by six goals in the goal difference stakes.
A draw against Denmark, however, would leave Australia on four points, two more than the Danes. That would be enough to see Australia through to the knockout stage if France were to claim the win over Tunisia, or if that match ends in a draw.
But if Tunisia manage to beat France, and Australia draws against Denmark, the African nation would go through on goal difference ahead of the Socceroos.
Should Australia lose to Denmark, they will be eliminated from the 2022 World Cup.
THE STATE OF AUSTRALIA’S WORLD CUP GROUP
France (6 points. 2 wins. Goal difference: plus 4)
Australia (3 points. 1 win 1 loss. Goal difference: minus 2)
Denmark (1 point. 1 draw 1 loss. Goal difference: minus 1)
Tunisia (1 point. 1 draw 1 loss. Goal difference: minus 1)
Qualification scenario
France are through.
Australia advance if they beat Denmark, or if they draw with Denmark and Tunisia draw or lose to France.
Denmark are through if they beat Australia.
Tunisia are through if they beat France and Denmark and Australia draw. Tunisia will also advance if they beat France by one more goal than Denmark beat Australia by (i.e. they beat France 2-0 and Denmark beat Australia 1-0)
Kylian Mbappe has scored twice in a 2-1 victory against Denmark to put France into the last 16 of the World Cup.
Saturday’s victory means Didier Deschamps’ side became the first to qualify for the knockout stage.
France top the group on six points, three ahead of Australia, who beat Tunisia 1-0 earlier in the day, with the Danes and the Tunisians both on one point.
France take on Tunisia and Denmark meet Socceroos in the final round on Wednesday.
In a tight, tense first half, France enjoyed the better chances. Adrien Rabiot went close with a header and the Danes were forced into a number of last-ditch blocks to keep their clean sheet intact.
It was not to last and Mbappe put the French ahead in the 61st minute, crowning a superb high-speed French counter with a bouncing first-time finish from Theo Hernandez’s clever pull-back.
Always a danger from set pieces, Andreas Christensen levelled for the Danes level seven minutes later from a corner, stealing in behind the defence and stooping to head home.
Neither side seemed content with a draw and Rabiot fired a spectacular volley over in the 80th minute. A minute later substitute Martin Braithwaite fired a first-time effort of his own just wide of the near post.
The game looked set to end in a stalemate until Mbappe popped up in the 86th minute at the far post to cushion home an Antoine Griezmann cross from close range to send the travelling French fans into raptures.
(Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Denmark threw everything forward looking for a second equaliser, leaving acres of space at the back, but their late attacks against a side they beat twice in the recent Nations League campaign lacked precision and the French held on for the win that put them through.
Robert Lewandowski finally scored his first World Cup goal as Poland brought Saudi Arabia back down to earth with a with a 2-0 Group C victory that rejuvenated their campaign.
Lewandowski, who missed a penalty in Poland’s opening draw with Mexico and was visibly emotional after finding the net on Saturday, pounced on a mistake in the 82nd minute to double Poland’s lead after Piotr Zielinski had given them a first-half lead.
After completing one of the tournament’s greatest shocks when they beat Argentina 2-1, the Saudis, who failed to convert a first-half penalty, found Poland a tougher nut to crack at the Education City Stadium.
The win moved Poland to four points, one more than the Saudis, and left them needing a draw in their final game against Argentina on Wednesday to guarantee their spot in the knockouts.
The Saudis, the second lowest ranked team in the tournament, will head into their final match against Mexico with all still to play for. Argentina play Mexico play later on Saturday.
There were half-chances for both sides before the game sprang to life in the 39th minute when Poland shook themselves from their slumber to take the lead.
Matty Cash skipped down the right and crossed low for Lewandowski who lifted the ball over the keeper and pulled it back for Zielinski to fire into the roof of the net.
Their hopes of cruising through to halftime, however, were ended four minutes later when Krystian Bielik made minimal contact with the back of Saleh Al-Shehri’s leg and he hit the turf.
The referee had initially waved away Saudi appeals but he was instructed to look at the VAR monitor and pointed to the spot, sparking celebrations from the Saudi players.
Those proved premature, however, as Salem Al-Dawsari’s low effort was palmed away one-handed by Wojciech Szczesny, who was quickly on his feet to brilliantly parry the follow up from Mohammed Al-Breik over the bar.
Poland could have extended their lead in the second half when Arkadiusz Milik’s header rattled the crossbar while Lewandowski hit the post with an effort that deflected off his knee.
Lewandowski, who had drawn a blank in his four previous World Cup games, did not have to wait too much longer, however, for his goal.
Abdulelah Al-Malki slipped and Lewandowski pounced, robbing him of the ball before sliding a tidy finish beyond Mohamed Al-Owais and into the net. The striker was seemingly in tears as he was greeted by teammates.
© AAP
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