sports
Two-hour storm break fails to stop France as Mbappé and Dembélé prove too good for Iraq
Could France do it on a hot, humid, waterlogged and lightning-threatened night in Pennsylvania? The answer was pretty straightforward. Despite an interruption of more than two hours after a chain of severe thunderstorms disrupted play at Philadelphia Stadium, France brushed past the physical challenge of Iraq, and furthered Kylian Mbappé’s personal duel with Lionel Messi in the process.
TL;DR
- France defeated Iraq despite a two-hour and 11-minute interruption due to thunderstorms.
- Kylian Mbappé scored two goals on his 100th appearance for France.
- Ousmane Dembélé scored France's third goal, his first at a major tournament.
- The win secured France's qualification for the knockout rounds.
- Iraq's head coach, Graham Arnold, noted that the long break may have contributed to his team's mistakes.
- Mbappé's goals moved him closer to Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot and the all-time World Cup scoring record.