CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: PROF. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

Sports / Football

Giroud expected to be fit, Pogba to start against Australia: Deschamps

Published: 10 Jun 2018 - 04:51 pm | Last Updated: 05 Nov 2021 - 11:05 am
France's forward Olivier Giroud carries his luggage before taking a plane to Russia on June 10, 2018 at the Bron's airport near Lyon, central-eastern France, ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup. / AFP / PHILIPPE DESMAZES

France's forward Olivier Giroud carries his luggage before taking a plane to Russia on June 10, 2018 at the Bron's airport near Lyon, central-eastern France, ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup. / AFP / PHILIPPE DESMAZES

Reuters

PARIS: Olivier Giroud should be fit to play France's World Cup opening game against Australia after leaving the pitch with a bloodied forehead in Saturday's 1-1 draw against the United States, coach Didier Deschamps said.

Deschamps added that midfielder Paul Pogba, whose performances have been under-par during the warm-up matches, was also 'very likely' to start Les Bleus' first game in Group C next Saturday.

They then take on Peru and Denmark.

Giroud has 'a beautiful cut of six centimetres but he should be ready," Deschamps told TF1 on Sunday.