France vs Australia Group C World Cup Picks & Predictions 6/16/2018

World Cup Group C
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Kazan Arena
France will take on Australia at Kazan Arena in a Group C matchup on Saturday, June 16, 2018. The opening line for this World Cup matchup has France at -435 and Australia at +1400. The total opened at 2.5. France is one of favorites to go all the way this year while Australia has some of the worst odds out of all of the teams in the competition. As you might expect, few people are giving the Aussies any chance in this match. Recent history tells us that Australia can hang with the big boys, though, so this might not be the blowout everyone seems to be expecting.
France
France has no fewer than six legitimate stars on their team, so they certainly have the roster to go far in this tournament. They can play the counter game, but they seem to be best when they are taking it to their opponents. They've lost just two games over the last year, so they are coming into group play with high confidence levels. Considering they haven't won any major silverware in recent years, it's not too surprising to see France ranked seventh in FIFA's latest rankings. Coach Didier Deschamps has said that he expects his team to at least make it to the semi-finals, and he's certainly made them look like they can do just that.
Raphael Varane
There are plenty of great players on this French team that could play a huge part in their World Cup run, but Varane might be the most important because he anchors an often vulnerable defense. The 25-year-old Real Madrid star will look to play a big part when his team is on the back foot.
Kylian Mbappe
Arguably the best player in the world under the age of 20, Mbappé has a skillset that allows him to do just about anything in the final third. He can score, he can pass, and he can fly up and down the pitch.
Australia
Even though Australia is expected to finish at the bottom of Group C, this is one of the better teams they've sent to a tournament in recent memory. Sure, they can get blown out by the top squads, but they can also surprise people, like when they beat the Czech Republic 4-0 earlier this month or when they were able to hold Columbia to a 0-0 draw in March. Australia is coming into the World Cup as the 26th ranked team in the world. Coach Bert van Marwijk has only been with the team since January and has gone 1-1-1 while in charge.
Aaron Mooy
Mooy showed in the Premier League this year that he has the talent to play with top-level players. He can control the ball in the midfield and is also very adept at moving forward and producing goals. The 27-year-old needs to be at the top of his game for Australia to have any chance of advancing.
Mathew Ryan
The Aussies are probably going to be facing a lot of shots, particularly from France, so Ryan needs to be at his best. He's not a big keeper, but his agility could allow him to stop shots other keepers' wouldn't have a chance to stop.
Key France Injuries
No key injuries to report
Key Australia Injuries
No key injuries to report
Who will win tonight's France/Australia World Cup game against the spread?
Tony's Pick: Take Australia +1400
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