‘UNREAL’ FRANCE NO HONEYMOON FOR OZ RISDON

KAZAN: Australia’s Josh Risdon and his defensive team mates could end up playing a game resembling Russian roulette in their World Cup opener against France on Saturday. That the 1998 champions are among the favourites to win the tournament in Russia is in no small part down to the attacking options that coach Didier Deschamps has at his disposal. Fullback Risdon, one of only three players from A-league clubs in Bert van Marwijk’s squad, is nevertheless confident Australia will be up to the task of containing France’s explosive front line. “Whoever we do come up against is going to be a quality player. Their whole squad is unreal,” Risdon said. “It’s going to be tough whoever they throw out there, (but)the way Australian sporting culture is, the tougher the opponent, the more we seem to rise to the occasion. Hopefully, we can do that in the first game.” Risdon is almost certain to start his first World Cup match on Saturday having provided the solution to van Marwijk’s rightback conundrum.