Group D of the 2022 FIFA World Cup took place from 22 to 30 November 2022. The group consisted of national association football teams France, Australia, Denmark and Tunisia. The top two teams, France and Australia advanced to the round of 16. France won the group by goal difference, defeating Australia and Denmark before losing to Tunisia on the final matchday. Australia finished second and made to the first knockout stage since 2006.
Teams The teams were decided by the World Cup draw that took place on 1 April 2022. The group was set to receive one team from each pot, which sorted all World Cup teams by position on the FIFA World Rankings.
Australia, Denmark and France were also in Group C of the previous World Cup. Draw position Team Pot Confederation Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings March 2022 October 2022 D1 1 UEFA UEFA Group D winners 13 November 2021 16th 2018 Winners (1998, 2018) 3 4 D2 4 AFC AFC v CONMEBOL play-off winners 13 June 2022 6th 2018 Round of 16 (2006) 42 38 D3 2 UEFA UEFA Group F winners 12 October 2021 6th 2018 Quarter-finals (1998) 11 10 D4 3 CAF CAF third round winners 29 March 2022 6th 2018 Group stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018) 35 30 Notes
Standings
In the round of 16: The winners of Group D, France, advanced to play the runners-up of Group C, Poland. The runners-up of Group D, Australia, advanced to play the winners of Group C, Argentina.
Matches Matches took place from 22 to 30 November 2022. All times listed are local, AST (UTC+3).
Denmark vs Tunisia The teams had faced each other twice, most recently in 2002, a 2–1 win for Denmark in a friendly game.
Denmark were not able to capitalize in their opening game, with Andreas Cornelius heading onto the post in the 70th minute. Although Tunisia failed to score themselves, midfielder Aïssa Laïdouni earned the Man of the Match award for his defensive heroics.
GK 1 Kasper SchmeichelCB 2 Joachim AndersenCB 4 Simon Kjær (c) CB 6 Andreas ChristensenDM 8 Thomas Delaney CM 23Pierre-Emile HøjbjergCM 10Christian EriksenRW 13Rasmus Kristensen LW 5 Joakim MæhleCF 11Andreas Skov Olsen CF 12Kasper Dolberg Substitutions:MF 14Mikkel Damsgaard FW 21Andreas Cornelius MF 7 Mathias Jensen MF 25Jesper Lindstrøm Manager:Kasper Hjulmand GK 16Aymen DahmenCB 6 Dylan BronnCB 4 Yassine MeriahCB 3 Montassar TalbiRM 20Mohamed Dräger CM 17Ellyes SkhiriCM 14Aïssa Laïdouni LM 24Ali AbdiAM 25Anis Ben Slimane AM 7 Youssef Msakni (c) CF 9 Issam Jebali Substitutions:FW 23Naïm Sliti MF 8 Hannibal Mejbri FW 11Taha Yassine Khenissi DF 21Wajdi Kechrida MF 13Ferjani Sassi Manager:Jalel Kadri
Man of the Match: Aïssa Laïdouni (Tunisia)
Assistant referees: Alberto Morín (Mexico) Miguel Hernández (Mexico) Fourth official: Saíd Martínez (Honduras) Reserve assistant referee: Walter López (Honduras) Video assistant referee: Fernando Guerrero (Mexico) Assistant video assistant referees: Armando Villarreal (United States) Gabriel Chade (Argentina) Juan Martínez Munuera (Spain) Stand-by assistant video assistant referee: Mahmoud Abouelregal (Egypt)
France vs Australia The teams had previously faced each other five times, including once in the World Cup, a 2–1 France victory in 2018 en route to the title. They also met in Australia's 1–0 win against the reigning world champions (having previously won the 1998 World Cup) at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Craig Goodwin gave Australia the lead in the ninth minute, when he finished at the back post high into the net after a low cross from the right by Mathew Leckie. Adrien Rabiot equalized for France when he headed to the net from a Théo Hernandez cross from the left. France took the lead five minutes later after Olivier Giroud's side footed shot found the back of the net from a low cross from Rabiot from the left. Jackson Irvine had a chance to equalize in first half stoppage time, but headed onto the post. In the 68th minute, Kylian Mbappé scored France's third goal with a header from six yards out to the left corner, after a cross from Ousmane Dembélé on the right. Giroud got his second with another header after a Mbappé cross from the left to make it 4–1.
Giroud's second goal equalled Thierry Henry's all-time scoring record of 51 goals for France. France's win marked the first time since 2006 that the defending World Cup champions won their opening game. On the other hand, Goodwin's goal was the fastest France had conceded in the tournament since 1982.
French defender Lucas Hernandez suffered a torn ACL after 13 minutes of the match, ruling him out for the remainder of the tournament. He would be substituted by his brother Théo during the match.
GK 1 Hugo Lloris (c)RB 2 Benjamin Pavard CB 18Dayot UpamecanoCB 24Ibrahima KonatéLB 21Lucas Hernandez CM 14Adrien RabiotCM 8 Aurélien Tchouaméni RW 11Ousmane Dembélé AM 7 Antoine GriezmannLW 10Kylian MbappéCF 9 Olivier Giroud Substitutions:DF 22Théo Hernandez MF 13Youssouf Fofana FW 20Kingsley Coman DF 5 Jules Koundé FW 26Marcus Thuram Manager:Didier Deschamps GK 1 Mathew Ryan (c)RB 3 Nathaniel Atkinson CB 19Harry SouttarCB 4 Kye RowlesLB 16Aziz BehichDM 13Aaron Mooy RM 23Craig Goodwin CM 14Riley McGree CM 22Jackson Irvine LM 7 Mathew LeckieCF 15Mitch Duke Substitutions:FW 25Jason Cummings FW 11Awer Mabil FW 21Garang Kuol MF 26Keanu Baccus DF 2 Miloš Degenek Manager:Graham Arnold
Man of the Match: Kylian Mbappé (France)
Assistant referees: Zakhele Siwela (South Africa) Souru Phatsoane (Lesotho) Fourth official: Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda) Reserve assistant referee: Kathryn Nesbitt (United States) Video assistant referee: Drew Fischer (Canada) Assistant video assistant referees: Adil Zourak (Morocco) Kyle Atkins (United States) Marco Fritz (Germany) Stand-by assistant video assistant referee: Corey Parker (United States)
Tunisia vs Australia The teams had previously faced each other twice, most recently in Tunisia's 2–0 win at the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Australia beat Tunisia 1–0 as a result of a Mitch Duke header in the 23rd minute to secure their first win in a World Cup match since they defeated Serbia 2–1 in 2010. This was also Australia's first clean sheet since they drew 0–0 with Chile in 1974.
GK 16Aymen DahmenCB 6 Dylan Bronn CB 4 Yassine MeriahCB 3 Montassar TalbiRM 20Mohamed Dräger CM 17Ellyes SkhiriCM 14Aïssa Laïdouni LM 24Ali Abdi AM 23Naïm SlitiAM 7 Youssef Msakni (c)CF 9 Issam Jebali Substitutions:MF 13Ferjani Sassi FW 10Wahbi Khazri DF 21Wajdi Kechrida FW 11Taha Yassine Khenissi Manager:Jalel Kadri GK 1 Mathew Ryan (c)RB 5 Fran Karačić CB 19Harry SouttarCB 4 Kye RowlesLB 16Aziz BehichDM 13Aaron MooyCM 22Jackson IrvineCM 14Riley McGree RF 7 Mathew Leckie CF 15Mitch Duke LF 23Craig Goodwin Substitutions:FW 9 Jamie Maclaren MF 10Ajdin Hrustic DF 2 Miloš Degenek FW 11Awer Mabil MF 26Keanu Baccus Manager:Graham Arnold
Man of the Match: Mitch Duke (Australia)
Assistant referees: Rafael Foltyn (Germany) Jan Seidel (Germany) Fourth official: Saíd Martínez (Honduras) Reserve assistant referee: Karen Díaz Medina (Mexico) Video assistant referee: Bastian Dankert (Germany) Assistant video assistant referees: Marco Fritz (Germany) Corey Parker (United States) Pol van Boekel (Netherlands) Stand-by assistant video assistant referee: Kathryn Nesbitt (United States)
France vs Denmark The teams had met 16 times previously including thrice in the World Cup, all in the group stage with three different results; France won 2–1 in 1998, Denmark won 2–0 in 2002 and the teams drew 0–0 in 2018.
Kylian Mbappé scored two goals either side of an Andreas Christensen equalizer to secure France a 2–1 win and qualify them for the knockout stage, thus becoming the first defending champions since Brazil in 2006 to advance past the first round. Among European countries, they were the first World Cup holders to qualify for the knockout stage since Germany in 1994.
GK 1 Hugo Lloris (c)RB 5 Jules Koundé CB 4 Raphaël Varane CB 18Dayot UpamecanoLB 22Théo HernandezCM 8 Aurélien TchouaméniCM 14Adrien RabiotRW 11Ousmane Dembélé AM 7 Antoine Griezmann LW 10Kylian MbappéCF 9 Olivier Giroud Substitutions:FW 26Marcus Thuram FW 20Kingsley Coman DF 24Ibrahima Konaté MF 13Youssouf Fofana Manager:Didier Deschamps GK 1 Kasper Schmeichel (c)CB 2 Joachim AndersenCB 6 Andreas Christensen CB 3 Victor NelssonRM 13Rasmus Kristensen CM 23Pierre-Emile HøjbjergCM 10Christian EriksenLM 5 Joakim MæhleRW 25Jesper Lindstrøm LW 14Mikkel Damsgaard CF 21Andreas Cornelius Substitutions:FW 9 Martin Braithwaite FW 12Kasper Dolberg MF 15Christian Nørgaard DF 26Alexander Bah Manager:Kasper Hjulmand
Man of the Match: Kylian Mbappé (France)
Assistant referees: Paweł Sokolnicki (Poland) Tomasz Listkiewicz (Poland) Fourth official: Ma Ning (China) Reserve assistant referee: Cao Yi (China) Video assistant referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (Poland) Assistant video assistant referees: Juan Martínez Munuera (Spain) Taleb Al-Marri (Qatar) Alejandro Hernández Hernández (Spain) Stand-by assistant video assistant referee: Mohamed Al-Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
Australia vs Denmark The teams had met in 4 previous encounters including once in the World Cup, a 1–1 draw in 2018.
Australia won the game 1–0 to finish second in the group. The only goal of the match was scored by Mathew Leckie in the 60th minute with a low left-foot finish to the bottom right corner of the net. This result meant that Australia progressed to the knockout stage for the second time in their World Cup history, the first time since 2006 and the first time they did it as a member of the AFC. This was also the first time that Australia had won two consecutive matches, scored in every group stage game, and kept a clean sheet twice in a World Cup.
GK 1 Mathew Ryan (c)RB 2 Miloš Degenek CB 19Harry SouttarCB 4 Kye RowlesLB 16Aziz Behich RM 7 Mathew Leckie CM 13Aaron MooyCM 22Jackson IrvineLM 23Craig Goodwin CF 14Riley McGree CF 15Mitch Duke Substitutions:MF 26Keanu Baccus DF 8 Bailey Wright FW 9 Jamie Maclaren MF 10Ajdin Hrustic Manager:Graham Arnold GK 1 Kasper SchmeichelRB 13Rasmus Kristensen CB 2 Joachim AndersenCB 6 Andreas ChristensenLB 5 Joakim Mæhle DM 23Pierre-Emile HøjbjergCM 7 Mathias Jensen CM 10Christian Eriksen (c)RF 11Andreas Skov Olsen CF 9 Martin Braithwaite LF 25Jesper LindstrømSubstitutions:DF 26Alexander Bah FW 12Kasper Dolberg MF 14Mikkel Damsgaard MF 24Robert Skov FW 21Andreas Cornelius Manager:Kasper Hjulmand
Man of the Match: Mathew Leckie (Australia)
Assistant referees: Mokrane Gourari (Algeria) Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria) Fourth official: Maguette Ndiaye (Senegal) Reserve assistant referee: Djibril Camara (Senegal) Video assistant referee: Mauro Vigliano (Argentina) Assistant video assistant referees: Nicolás Gallo (Colombia) Gabriel Chade (Argentina) Adil Zourak (Morocco) Stand-by assistant video assistant referee: Ezequiel Brailovsky (Argentina)
Tunisia vs France The two teams had faced each other four times, most recently in 2010 friendly, a 1–1 draw.
A Tunisian goal in the 8th minute was disallowed for offside, but Wahbi Khazri put Tunisia into the lead in the 58th minute with a low shot to the bottom right corner. At that stage, Tunisia was in a position to qualify from the group. However, two minutes later Australia went in front against Denmark in the other match taking place at the same time, which put Tunisia outside of the qualifying positions. In added time, Antoine Griezmann seemingly scored to make it 1–1 for France with a volley, but the goal was ruled out by the VAR for offside, despite the ball having come off a Tunisian player just before. Australia went on to beat Denmark, which meant that Tunisia finished third in the group and failed to reach the knockout stage for the sixth consecutive World Cup.