France secured a 3-0 victory over Iraq to reach the World Cup knockout stage. However, severe weather delayed the second half by nearly two hours. Kylian Mbappe scored twice during his 100th international appearance. Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele added France’s third goal after the restart.
Mbappe’s brace took his World Cup tally to 16 goals. Consequently, he moved level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on the all-time list. The French captain also trails Lionel Messi by one goal in the Golden Boot race.
France Overcomes Weather Delay
France controlled the opening stages and broke the deadlock in the 14th minute. Mbappe collected Michael Olise’s pass before firing beyond Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. Shortly afterward, thunderstorms forced officials to suspend play during halftime.
Players returned after almost two hours as conditions improved. However, Iraq struggled to recover following the lengthy interruption. A defensive mistake gifted Mbappe his second goal in the 54th minute. Dembele then finished confidently after another assist from Olise.
France will now face Norway on Saturday for the top spot in Group I. Norway defeated Senegal 3-2 to level France on points.
Mbappe Shines as Iraq Stay Alive
France coach Didier Deschamps praised his team’s response after the long delay. He also backed Dembele despite criticism following the opening match. Therefore, France enters the knockout stage with growing confidence.
Iraq still has a chance to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. However, the team likely needs victory against Senegal in its final group match. Additionally, striker Aymen Hussein remains doubtful after leaving the match through injury.
