Kha Y Tran France secured an easy 3-0 win over Iraq in Group I of the World Cup 2026. As a result, Les Bleus reached the Round of 16 with one match to spare.
The match in Philadelphia was far from normal. Heavy rain and lightning stopped play after the first half. Therefore, the break lasted more than two hours. In total, the event lasted more than five hours.
Watch highlights of the match at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XejscwNpvLU&list=PLBRLtDhTHh5o&index=31
Mbappe Scores in His 100th France Match
France coach Didier Deschamps made three changes from the win over Senegal. Bradley Barcola, Lucas Digne, and Manu Kone started. Meanwhile, Desire Doue, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Theo Hernandez began on the bench.
Iraq also changed three players. Ahmed Basil started in goal. In addition, Zidane Iqbal and Ahmed Qasem were named in the starting lineup.
France controlled the game from the start. They pushed high and kept the ball well. Iraq, meanwhile, sat deep and tried to survive the pressure.
Then, in the 14th minute, Kylian Mbappe produced a brilliant moment. He picked up the ball outside the box. After that, he fired a powerful shot into the far corner.
It was a superb goal. Also, it made his 100th match for France even more special.
France kept attacking after the opener. However, Iraq defended in numbers. Because of that, the first half ended 1-0.
The players had to play in heavy rain.
Severe Thunderstorms Delay the Match for More Than Two Hours
As the first half ended with France leading 1-0, heavy rain and thunderstorms suddenly hit Philadelphia. Therefore, FIFA officials were forced to suspend the match for safety reasons.
According to tournament regulations in the United States, play must stop whenever lightning is detected within a certain distance of the stadium. Furthermore, each new lightning strike resets the waiting period. Because of this, the halftime break lasted for more than two hours.
This became the first weather-delayed match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In total, the event lasted over five hours when including the extended interruption and pre-match preparations.
Later, Didier Deschamps revealed that his players spent part of the delay playing card games inside the dressing room to stay relaxed and focused.
Mbappe and Dembele Finish the Job in the Second Half
Once the match resumed, Iraq showed more aggression during the opening minutes of the second half. However, the quality gap between the two sides soon became obvious again.
In the 54th minute, Iraq’s defense made a costly mistake. Defender Zaid Tahseen played a careless pass back toward goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. As a result, Ousmane Dembele intercepted the ball and quickly squared it to Mbappe, who calmly tapped into an empty net to complete his brace.
With his fourth goal of World Cup 2026, Mbappe continued his pursuit of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. In addition, he moved closer to several historic World Cup scoring records.
Mbappe scored a brace to close the gap on Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.
France refused to slow down. Shortly afterward, in the 66th minute, Michael Olise delivered his second assist of the match. Dembele then fired a precise low shot into the far corner to make it 3-0. Consequently, the Paris Saint-Germain star celebrated his first goal of the tournament.
After establishing a comfortable three-goal advantage, Deschamps began substituting key players, including Mbappe and Dembele, to prepare for France’s final group-stage clash against Norway.
As expected, the tempo of the game decreased during the final stages. Nevertheless, France maintained complete control and comfortably protected their lead until the final whistle.
Dembele increased the score to 3-0.
France Reach the Round of 16, Iraq Face Elimination
The 3-0 victory gave France six points from their first two matches. Therefore, Les Bleus officially became one of the first teams to secure qualification for the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
More importantly, France’s attacking trio of Mbappe, Dembele, and Michael Olise has emerged as one of the tournament’s most dangerous offensive units. While Mbappe continues to score consistently, Dembele and Olise are also showing excellent chemistry and creativity.
On the other hand, Iraq suffered their second consecutive defeat and now face a very difficult path to qualification. Although they showed determination and effort, the difference in quality against the 2018 world champions proved too significant.
France 3-0 Iraq: Match Summary
Goals
- France: Mbappe (14′, 54′), Dembele (66′)
France Starting XI
Maignan; Kounde (Gusto 83′), Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Olise (Cherki 68′), Dembele (Doue 68′), Barcola (Akliouche 83′); Mbappe (Thuram 90′).
Iraq Starting XI
Ahmed Basil; H Ali, Z Tahseen (Sulaka 60′), A Hashim, M Doski; I Bayesh (Farji 69′), A Al-Ammari (Sher 68′), Zidane Iqbal; Z Ismael (Amyn 60′), A Hussein (Al Hamadi 36′), Ahmed Qasem.
With another dominant performance, France have sent a strong message to the rest of the competition. Moreover, if Kylian Mbappe can maintain this exceptional form, Les Bleus will undoubtedly remain one of the strongest contenders to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy once again.
Read more:
Mbappe Inspires France in World Cup Opener Now
Norway Beat Iraq 4-1 in Strong World Cup Opener
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