Mbappé scores – Kylian Mbappé struck in the 14th and 54th minutes as France beat Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia, battling through the tournament’s first rain delay to reach the knockout stage. Ousmane Dembélé also scored as France kept moving with a second-half breakthrough that en
PHILADELPHIA — Kylian Mbappé was already halfway to the scoreline when the sky finally decided to join the match.
In a 100th international appearance that came with the kind of soaked rhythm you usually only see when a stadium has to fight the elements. the Ballon d’Or winner scored twice to steer France past Iraq 3-0 on Monday and into the knockout stage. Ousmane Dembélé added a third. turning a rainy night for anyone who stayed out in the stands into something closer to celebration.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute and struck again in the 54th. His first goal came as heavy rain was building toward a thunderstorm. forcing a delay of just over two hours after the grounds crew squeegeed water off the swampy Kentucky bluegrass at Lincoln Financial Field. Throughout halftime, sheets of rain kept coming while fans wrapped in ponchos and crowded into the concourse and under balconies.
The scoreboard messages urged supporters to take shelter in the stadium’s covered areas with warnings that a severe storm was on the way. Some fans stayed in their seats near the top of the stadium’s covered sections, waving the country’s flag. Others simply made the delay part of the experience, splashing around the concourse to pass time.
Not everyone had the patience for weather. Others headed for the exits. even as the venue already carried a familiar sting—last season’s opener for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles was delayed 65 minutes in the third quarter because of lightning. This time. the inconveniences arrived in a different order: rain delays. overpriced concessions and television timeouts in the form of hydration breaks. There was no second-half hydration break for this game after the long, wet pause.
Whatever the conditions, this game belonged to Mbappé. By scoring twice. he moved into a tie for second in career World Cup goals with 16. matching Miroslav Klose of Germany and moving one ahead of Brazil’s Ronaldo. He also set himself in the same chase that always hangs over France’s forward—keeping pace on the career scoring list with new record holder Lionel Messi.
Earlier on Monday, Messi scored twice for Argentina to set the tournament record at 18. Messi had equaled Klose with his first World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria last Tuesday night in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mbappé’s second goal came after Iraq’s defense handed him the chance. France’s Désiré Doué and Dembélé were involved in the attacking rhythm. but it was a poor pass to the goalkeeper by Iraq defender Zaid Tahseen that set the moment. Dembele controlled the loose ball and passed to Mbappé, who tapped it in with his right foot.
For his first goal, Mbappé cut from the edge of the box with a left-footed strike—described as his weaker foot—and it got past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. Basil was in the start after captain Jalal Hassan allowed all four goals in Iraq’s 4-1 loss to Norway.
Mbappé nearly added a third, too. He had a chance at a hat trick on a late breakaway but missed before he was substituted out at the 90-minute mark.
Iraq’s night had its own injuries layered into the turbulence. Striker Aymen Hussein was subbed out with an apparent injury in the 26th minute of the first half and replaced by Ali Al-Hamadi. Hussein still scored his 34th international goal in Iraq’s World Cup opener. even though France’s control limited what the rest of the match could become.
France’s path through the tournament now continues with a return to Philadelphia on July 4 to play Germany. Iraq, meanwhile, is in the World Cup for just the second time after debuting in 1986.
The season of complications was written into the schedule and the weather, but the scoreboard never stopped telling the story: Mbappé found the moments, France stayed steady through the delay, and the rain only postponed the joy—rather than canceling it.
Mbappé France vs Iraq 3-0 World Cup Ousmane Dembélé rain delay Lincoln Financial Field knockout stage Ahmed Basil Aymen Hussein
Mbappé really said 3-0 and then just waited for the rain delay like it was part of the plan lol.
So the rain delayed it 2 hours but they still played… meanwhile my cousin’s high school game got canceled for less. Kinda wild.
I don’t get it, wasn’t this Iraq like… actually in the World Cup? Or is it a friendly? Also why are they playing in Philly like why not Europe? The weather part sounds like a mess.
I was there (not even sure if that’s true, I saw clips) and the rain looked insane. But Eagles lightning last season and now this… stadium management really gotta chill. Also Mbappé scoring twice means France is basically guaranteed to win the whole thing, right? Like no way they blow that knockout spot.