France’s Kylian Mbappe shoots at aim through the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group I towards Iraq, Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, June 22, 2026. — Reuters
PHILADELPHIA: Kylian Mbappe scored his second double of the event and Ousmane Dembele added a 3rd as France eased into the final 32 with a 3-0 victory over Iraq on Monday within the first match of this World Cup beset by a prolonged climate stoppage.
Mbappe’s targets, on his one centesimal worldwide look, got here practically three hours aside after thunderstorms within the area delayed the second-half kickoff by a shade underneath two hours.
“The first half was good,” mentioned France supervisor Didier Deschamps. “In the second half, we picked up where we left off, bearing in mind that it wasn’t easy given what happened, and we managed to put the game beyond reach. That’s a very good thing.”
Mbappe now sits on 16 all-time World Cup targets, pulling stage with Germany’s former report holder Miroslav Klose.
Earlier on Monday, Lionel Messi set a brand new benchmark of 18 World Cup targets with a brace in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria.
Mbappe’s 4 targets additionally put him one behind Messi within the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race.
Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Dembele scored after halftime for twice champions France, who will face Norway on Saturday with Group I high spot on the road. The Norwegians beat Senegal 3-2 on Monday to maneuver stage on three factors with the French.
Dembele had confronted criticism for what some thought to be a poor efficiency in France’s 3-1 opening win over Senegal.
“There’s no issue,” Deschamps mentioned. “Ousmane is confident in himself. He can sometimes get people talking, but I have complete faith in him. He’s still finding his bearings because his role is different from the one he has at his club.”
Iraq stay alive for one of many eight third-place spots.
They may in all probability want a win of their group finale towards Senegal and assist elsewhere. They might be with out Aymen Hussein, who scored of their 4-1 opening defeat by Norway however got here off within the twenty sixth minute on Monday with an obvious harm.
Mbappe’s second of excellence
“You have one moment of excellence from one of the best players in the world,” mentioned Ali Al-Hamadi, who changed Hussein.
France’s Kylian Mbappe in motion through the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group I towards Iraq, Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, June 22, 2026. — Reuters
“And then we have to go inside and wait for an hour and a half. You know, it’s really difficult to come out and keep the same intensity against these great players. And in the end I think we made too many mistakes again,” he added.
France dominated the early levels and Mbappe capitalised within the 14th minute.
After an innocent-looking sequence on the suitable, the striker obtained Michael Olise’s move, took one contact to his left and, with defenders affording him house, unfurled a strong strike from the sting of the realm that sailed past Ahmed Basil’s dive.
The climate delay may have served as a restoration interval for Iraq, who spent many of the first half chasing the ball. As an alternative, they gifted France and Mbappe a second within the 54th minute after a dreadful mistake from a aim kick.
Basil was unable to manage a brief goal-kick from defender Zaid Tahseen and Dembele was available to arrange Mbappe’s easy tap-in. Dembele scored himself 12 minutes later after controlling Olise’s incisive move and ending low previous Basil.
With the result by no means actually unsure, the climate offered many of the drama.
After referee Drew Fischer blew his halftime whistle because the storms had been already starting, the skies opened up additional and spectators had been informed to hunt shelter within the stadium concourses.
The gamers lastly re-emerged for warm-ups about one hour and 40 minutes later and, even then, the restart was delayed additional as stadium personnel used squeegees to shuttle standing water off the east facet of the pitch.
