YEKATERINBURG, Russia

With all its attacking talent, France proved it also has class in defense.

Other coaches might envy Didier Deschamps, who has a forward line bursting with skill, speed and goals. But Peru coach Ricardo Gareca looked at the other end Thursday after his team lost 1-0.

“I think France did some outstanding work of defense,” said Gareca, whose team was eliminated while the French advanced to the knockout stage.

“Credit needs to be given to France, it’s not that Peru fell short,” Gareca said. “Unlike their other games, France had very strong tactical discipline to neutralize Peru. Something that wasn’t visible in their other matches.”

After Peru lost its opening game to Denmark 1-0, it needed a least a point against France to stay in contention following a 36- year absence from the tournament. With striker Paolo Guerrero back in the starting lineup, Peru’s players used any and every opportunity to put France under pressure.

It didn’t work.

Deschamps made two tactical changes for the game, using Olivier Giroud and Blaise Matuidi in the starting line-up. The result upfront was visible. France was more fluid than in the 2- 1 victory over Australia and the cooperation between midfielders Paul Pogba and Ngolo Kante with the attackers resulted in a number of scoring opportunities.

France neutralized Guerrero to a single chance in the first half. But goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who made his 100th international appearance, saved his low shot from close range.

In the second half, France kept Peru at a distance, allowing mostly only long range attempts on goal.

Even such an offensive ace as Kylian Mbappe, who scored the winning goal in the first half, came to help.

“If the team needs it, you need to sacrifice yourself,” Mbappe said. “Today, sometimes we didn’t need to be up the field … this is what I did.”

Denmark 1, Australia 1

SAMARA, Russia (AP) — It was the breakthrough everyone expected of Christian Eriksen. It just wasn’t the result.

Denmark’s attacking midfielder scored his first goal of the World Cup in the opening minutes against Australia on Thursday, but ultimately the Danes settled for a 1-1 draw.

It was the Tottenham standout’s 17th goal for Denmark in his last 20 international matches.

And it was dramatic, a precise left-footed strike from the center of the box that sailed past the outstretched arms of Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan in the seventh minute.

But then Australia settled in and shut Denmark down. The game-tying goal would be a penalty kick by Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak after a handball called on Yussuf Poulsen that was confirmed by video replay.

“We expected it to be a very tough game and it was. Of course, we got the start we wanted, to be up 1-0 in the first 10 minutes, but then the game changed,” Eriksen said. “But they are a good side, they are at the World Cup for a reason.”

Eriksen had an assist in the opener, a 1-0 victory over Peru. Denmark has four points in Group C, with the team’s final match against France on Tuesday in Moscow.

In four previous World Cups, Denmark has emerged from its group three times, reaching the quarterfinals in 1998. The team missed the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

But Denmark is on a roll now, undefeated in 17 straight matches.

During World Cup qualifying, Eriksen scored 11 goals for the Danes, third-best in Europe behind Poland striker Robert Lewandowski with 16 and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo with 15.