France vs Australia 2018 World Cup Group C Betting Preview

As you can see from the moneyline on this Group C match from the 2018 World Cup, Australia enter play against one of the elite foes in the entire tournament. The French are one of the favorites to make a deep run into the knockout rounds, ranked seventh in the world. They have such players as Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) and Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) on their side and expect to win a group that also includes Denmark and Peru. Australia needed a playoff win against Honduras even to qualify for the World Cup and got a timely hat trick from Mile Jedinak to advance to Russia. However, their prospects are dim against Les Bleus. Take a look at our World Cup betting preview of this matchup.

France vs Australia 2018 World Cup Group C Betting Preview

When: Saturday, June 16, 2018, 6:00am ET Where: Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia TV: FS1 Radio: None Live Stream: Live Soccer TV 2018 World Cup Odds: France -448 / Draw +546 / Australia +1797

Why should you bet on France?

Les Bleus do have one of the top rosters in this tournament, with just as much talent as such favorites as Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Germany — but with a little more youth, which can turn into energy on stages like this one. They romped through UEFA qualification, finishing atop Group A with 23 out of 30 points. In 2014, France exited the World Cup at the quarterfinals, but they look to go much further this year. On defense, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur) enters as one of the steadiest goalies in the tournament. Raphael Varane leads a solid defense, and the trio of Pogba, Griezmann, and Giroud, along with Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe, have the talent to provide plenty of scoring so long as France remain focused in their possession, passing and spacing. On an intangible level, France have not won a World Cup since they hosted it in 1998, and they have a hunger to get back on the same sort of footing as the Germans and some of the other teams that have hoisted the Cup.

Why should you bet on Australia?

There is often a gap between expectations and performance for France in the World Cup. In their last 12 group games, they have won only three, losing four and drawing five. Those three wins have come against Togo, Honduras and Switzerland. In their last four World Cup group play openers, they beat Honduras in 2014 but had lost one and drawn two before that. If Australia have any shot, the ageless Tim Cahill must produce again, as he has scored five of Australia’s 11 goals in World Cup play, and he is one of just nine players to have goals in each of the last three tournaments. He needs to find some space against a French side that, when focused, delivers on defense. On defense, Australia have a solid goalie in Mathew Ryan (Brighton). They did pass some tests in qualifying, beating Syria 3-2 in an aggregate playoff before taking down Honduras, but it’s hard to argue that that competition prepared them for an elite France team. The teams last met in 2013, with France winning in a 6-0 shellacking at a friendly. That was five years ago, but many of the same starters will be on the pitch for the Socceroos in this one. If you like Australia, you see France following a trend of entering the World Cup on somewhat shaky footing — and their 1-1 draw against the United States in a friendly could be evidence for that.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The Socceroos always show up game to the World Cup, but they are running into a France team that already got its wake up call against the United States and should be focused on executing their system. I see Australia putting up a fight early, but France should impose their will on the game and win, 3-0.