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LONDON: Antoine Griezmann admitted France were well off their best as they struggled to beat Australia in Kazan.
A Griezmann penalty and 80th-minute winner from Paul Pogba were enough to beat the Socceroos, who were level in the 62nd minute with a Mile Jedinak spot kick. But while pleased with the scoreline Les Bleus, one of the favorites to lift the trophy on July 15, looked anything but world-beaters. They were ponderous and looked short of ideas in attack and Australia can consider themselves unlucky not to get a point.
That was not lost on the match winner who admitted France will have to go up a few gears if they are to trouble the better teams in Russia.
"It wasn't a great match for the team or for me, but the important thing is to start with a victory,” Griezmann said.
"I know I can do far better, but I am relaxed about it, I know it is going to get better.”
The striker’s penalty was the first awarded through the VAR system. The Atletico Madrid star, who topped the Euro 2016 scoring chart with six goals, wrote his name into the history books after he went down under a tackle from Josh Risdon in the penalty box in the second half of the Group C fixture.
Referee Andres Cunha from Uruguay did not initially award a spot-kick but after running to the touchline to view the VAR footage, ruled it was a penalty and Griezmann slotted past Socceroos goalkeeper Mathew Ryan at the Kazan Arena.
"It's a good job there was video in this case," Griezmann said.
"I think it was a penalty, he caught me on the left foot. Just after I got up, it was hurting a bit. That's not simulation.”
But French celebrations were short-lived, Australia captain Jedinak levelling only four minutes later after a clear hand ball by Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti.
In a match that saw Didier Deschamps' men frustrated throughout by a gutsy Australian defensive display, French pride was only restored in the 81st minute.
Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, still wearing a bandage around a recent head injury, had replaced Griezmann only minutes before playing a one-two with Pogba on the edge of the area.
The Manchester United midfielder's shot took a deflection off the boot of defender Aziz Behich before creeping over the outstretched hands of Ryan and bouncing over the goalline.
Deschamps, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, will be thanking his lucky stars after a performance which will give him more questions than answers about his ambitious side -- the second-youngest in the tournament after Nigeria.
For Jedinak and the Socceros it was a case of what might have been.
“We're disappointed, we didn't have the luck today. The second goal was fortunate for them, just over the line. We've got to take the positives, pick ourselves up and go again,” the Australia captain said.
“We knew we had to be right at it from the first whistle, maintaining discipline and focus. We got ourselves back into the game, we felt good. “Then they got the goal, we gave it a go but it was not enough.
I told my teammates that if we maintain that structure and concentration we showed today, let's see where it gets us. I can't fault them, almighty effort today.”