Soccer-France on a tightrope as knockout phase looms

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group D - Tunisia v France - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - November 30, 2022 France's Kylian Mbappe in action with Tunisia's Ellyes Skhiri REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

DOHA (Reuters) - While France's 1-0 loss to Tunisia after fielding a reserve team should have no bearing on the defending champions' future at the World Cup, their final Group D game on Wednesday showed that they are walking on a tight rope.

Les Bleus, who face Poland in the last 16 on Sunday, underperformed at the Education City stadium and only after Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele came off the bench did they pose any threat.