Lucas Hernandez was on the ground, writhing in pain with a stretcher on its way. Hugo Lloris could at least get back up but was enduring another sort of agony entirely, having dived too low when the ball was heading for the net’s roof.
Craig Goodwin got on the ground of his own accord, sliding to his knees in the ecstasy of a 30‑year‑old South Australian journeyman who had just scored nine minutes into his first World Cup. Ibrahima Konaté was stunned. Kylian Mbappé hung his head. Was this the champion’s curse? Were Australia about to pull a Saudi Arabia?
