Mbappé scores twice as France beats Iraq to reach knockout stage
Mbappé reached 100 France caps and tied Miroslav Klose with his 16th World Cup goal as France beat Iraq 3-0 after a storm delay.
Kylian Mbappé treated France’s meeting with Iraq as a rehearsal for the rounds ahead and still left it with a brace, a century of international appearances and a place in the knockout stage secured. France beat Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia after severe thunderstorms forced a 2 hours and 12 minutes delay, and 68,344 spectators stayed for a match that did not finish until 20:47 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Mbappé scored in the 14th and 54th minutes, while Ousmane Dembélé added the third in the 66th. The second goal took Mbappé to 16 World Cup goals, matching Miroslav Klose at the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring list, and he marked his 100th appearance for France in a performance that reinforced why France is viewed as one of the title contenders. Before kickoff, Mbappé had described this France attack as more aggressive than the sides he played in the previous two World Cups, and the presence of Désiré Doué and Michael Olise underlined that intent.
Didier Deschamps, who guided France to the 2018 World Cup title and will leave after this tournament, had named a 26-man squad that changed little from expectation. He said the main standard for selection was sporting balance, not surprise, and that same logic carried into a night when France showed no interest in easing up once the game restarted. Deschamps said the suspension was made for safety, then joked that the players had been “playing cards” while they waited, a small detail that captured how a low-stakes group match became a test of discipline and championship habits.
For Iraq, the result left Graham Arnold’s side in a more difficult position, even if mathematical hopes of advancing remained alive. Players and staff acknowledged errors and the strain of the interruption, and Arnold pointed to the mental challenge of keeping focus after such a long stoppage. Exposed by France’s pace and precision, Iraq still had to hold on to belief, but the margin of defeat showed how sharply the gap opened when France decided to treat the evening like preparation for what comes next.
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