Australia can still rally to qualify for the next round of the 2022 World Cup despite suffering a devastating 4-1 loss to France in their opening match Wednesday morning.

The top-two teams from each of the groups advance to the knockout stage, and while Australia’s big loss will count against it, a 0-0 draw between reigning champion Denmark and Tunisia offered some hope.

Australia’s is sitting last in Group D, with a must-win clash against Tunisia on Saturday night.

Socceroo fans, meanwhile, will be hoping France comes up with another big win over Denmark on Sunday.

In the tie against France, the Socceroos went ahead via Craig Goodwin and bossed Les Bleus for the initial 25 minutes at Al Janoub Stadium in their World Cup opener.

But the Australians were then swamped by wave after ominous blue wave as France scored four goals in a 45-minute burst.

Veteran forward Olivier Giroud netted twice while Adrien Rabiot and megastar Kylian Mbappe also scored against the outclassed Socceroos.

“Look at the end of the day, they’re a quality side and they’re world champions for a reason,” coach Graham Arnold said pitchside.

“I thought the first half we did well. Second half, we ran out of legs a bit, but that’s the type of level that those players play at.

“We will pick the boys up for sure (ahead of facing Tunisia on Saturday).

“They should be proud of their commitment, their effort that they gave, but again, they are the world champions for a reason.”

Goodwin’s ninth-minute goal was from Australia’s top shelf, with the Adelaide United captain scoring from a stunning fast-break.

Harry Souttar’s laser long ball from defence was collected by Mathew Leckie on the right flank and he cut inside French defender Lucas Hernandez.

The Frenchman’s right knee buckled as Leckie arrowed across the face of goal to Goodwin who scored to put the Socceroos on top of the world champions.

Australia could have gone 2-0 up in the 22nd minute when a flying Mitch Duke 20-metre shot just flew post the right post.

But five minutes later, the tide turned towards France.

Rabiot scored with a close-range header from a perfectly weighted ball from substitute Theo Hernandez, who replaced his injured older brother.

Five minutes later, Giroud put the French 2-1 ahead after a blunder from Australian right-back Nathaniel Atkinson, one of six Socceroos on debut in Doha at the World Cup finals.

Atkinson failed to control a routine Jackson Irvine pass and was dispossessed in a twinkling by Rabiot and the ball rolled to the brilliant Mbappe.

With an audacious back-heel, he returned possession to Rabiot, who in turn found Giroud unmarked metres from goal.

The French went close to scoring four more times in the next 10 minutes before Australia’s Irvine, against the flow, bounced a header into the left post just before halftime.

After the break, the French rout was completed with accurate headers from the brilliant Mbappe in the 68th minute and Giroud, who just three minutes later equalled Thierry Henry’s record for most goals for France, 51.

The Australians next meet Tunisia (Saturday 9pm AEDT) with Denmark (December 1, 2am AEDT) to follow.

– with AAP