France Overcomes Storm, Defeats Iraq 3-0 in Rain-Delayed World Cup Match

France secured their place in the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Iraq on Monday night, overcoming a severe thunderstorm that delayed the match for over two hours in Philadelphia.

Kylian Mbappé scored twice, bringing his career World Cup total to 16 goals and tying him for second on the all-time list with Germany's Miroslav Klose, one behind Lionel Messi's tournament record of 18. The French captain, making his 100th international appearance, opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. He added his second goal in the 54th minute after a defensive error by Iraq's Zaid Tahseen allowed Ousmane Dembélé to set up a tap-in.

Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé also found the net in the 66th minute, capping a performance that earned him a match rating of 8.5 from Russian outlet Euro-Football. Michael Olise contributed two assists, and the trio of Dembélé, Olise, and Mbappé were credited with creating all three goals.

The match was halted at halftime due to heavy rain and lightning, with fans directed to take shelter in covered areas of Lincoln Financial Field. The delay lasted just over two hours, forcing grounds crews to squeegee water off the saturated field. Despite the disruption, France maintained their focus and dominated the second half.

Iraq, playing in only their second World Cup after debuting in 1986, struggled to contain the French attack. Striker Aymen Hussein was substituted in the 26th minute due to an apparent injury. Iraq coach Graham Arnold, who donned a poncho during the storm, saw his team remain winless in the tournament after a 4-1 loss to Norway.

France, co-favorites with Spain to win the title, could return to Philadelphia on July 4 to face Germany in the next round. The victory keeps their campaign on track as they seek a third World Cup trophy in five editions.