Mbappe scores twice as France beat Iraq after storm delay
Kylian Mbappe’s two goals lifted France to a 3-0 World Cup win over Iraq in a Group I match interrupted by thunderstorms.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Kylian Mbappe scored in each half as France beat Iraq 3-0 in a World Cup Group I match in Philadelphia that was stopped for nearly two hours because of thunderstorms, Reuters reported. The result put France on six points from two games and left the two-time champions close to securing a place in the last 32.
Reuters reported that Mbappe’s goals came almost three hours apart because the second half was delayed by weather. The France forward now has four goals at the 2026 tournament, one fewer than Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race, according to Reuters.
Mbappe also moved to 16 career World Cup goals, level with former record-holder Miroslav Klose, Reuters reported. Earlier Monday, Reuters said Messi reached 18 World Cup goals after scoring twice in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria.
France controlled the early stages against Iraq and went ahead in the 14th minute, according to Reuters. Michael Olise found Mbappe on the right, and Mbappe shifted the ball onto his left foot before driving a shot from the edge of the area past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil.
Reuters reported that Iraq lost Aymen Hussein in the 26th minute with an apparent injury. Hussein had scored Iraq’s only goal of the tournament in their opening match, according to Reuters.
The storm arrived around halftime, Reuters reported. Referee Drew Fischer had already blown for the break when conditions worsened, and fans were directed to take cover in the stadium concourses.
According to Reuters, the players returned for warm-ups about one hour and 40 minutes later, but the restart still had to wait. Stadium staff used squeegees to clear standing water from the east side of the field before play resumed.
Iraq spent long stretches without the ball, Reuters reported, and the delay did not change the pattern. France’s second goal came after a mistake from an Iraq goal kick, with Ousmane Dembele setting up Mbappe for a close-range finish.
Dembele, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, scored France’s third 12 minutes later, Reuters reported. He controlled a pass from Olise inside the penalty area and finished low past Basil.
France’s place in the knockout round would become official if Norway beat or draw with Senegal in the other Group I match, Reuters reported. That game in northern New Jersey began at about the same time as the delayed second half in Philadelphia, according to Reuters.
Iraq remained without a point after two matches, Reuters reported, but still had a possible route to the knockout stage through one of the eight places available to third-place teams. Reuters reported that Iraq likely need to beat Senegal in their final group match and get help from other results.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.