PHILADELPHIA – It is rare for a player to score goals separated by more than two hours in the same match. For Kylian Mbappe, it became another entry on an already remarkable résumé. The France captain struck twice as Les Bleus defeated Iraq 3-0 in a match halted for more than two hours because of severe weather and lightning in the area. For the first time in a World Cup match, FIFA was forced to implement its lightning protocol, with play suspended at halftime and not resumed until two hours and 11 minutes later, after players were given time to warm up again.
During the stoppage, supporters were directed out of the stadium bowl and into the concourses for safety. Even so, the atmosphere remained lively, with chants of “Ole” echoing through the rain and loud cheers greeting the players when they returned to the field. Heavy rainfall left standing water on the pitch, requiring crews to use squeegees to clear puddles before play could continue. Once conditions improved, France picked up where it left off, securing qualification for the round of 32 and moving closer to winning Group I. France will face Norway in Boston on June 26 in a match that could decide the group, with a win or draw enough to clinch first place thanks to goal difference. Norway’s late concession against Senegal may prove especially costly.
France set the tone from the moment “La Marseillaise” rang around the stadium. Mbappe nearly scored inside the opening two minutes, and he did not keep the crowd waiting much longer. In the 14th minute, he unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from outside the box to give France the lead. On the night of his 100th appearance for the national team, it felt almost inevitable that Mbappe would mark the milestone with a goal. Even if Iraq manager Graham Arnold had been allowed to start three goalkeepers, as he jokingly suggested before the match, it might not have been enough to keep out Mbappe’s thunderous effort.
France entered the tournament among the favorites to lift the World Cup, and Iraqi defender Rebin Sulaka offered a straightforward assessment afterward. “They are good, France were really good,” he said.
After the long delay, Mbappe added his second goal, finishing after being set up by Ousmane Dembele. Dembele later scored one of his own, a welcome response after a difficult opening match against Senegal. With France’s front line beginning to click and Michael Olise also contributing an assist, Didier Deschamps’ side again looked like one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament.
Players on both sides said the weather interruption did not significantly affect the match, though the extended break created uncertainty over how best to stay prepared. Because the delay came at halftime and both teams were given time to warm up before the restart, the second half felt more like a fresh kickoff than a sudden interruption during open play. France also benefited from the absence of a hydration break in the second half, allowing it to maintain pressure and rhythm.
“Of course, the weather impacted the players, but I think in the long run, if we see how we went out in the second half from the halftime, we played really good after the break, so I don’t think it impacted us as much as you think,” Sulaka said. “We tried to stay focused and correct our mistakes from the first half, and go out and do better in the second half, so that was what the coach said to us in between the halves.”
France’s players largely shared that view, showing little sign that the lengthy stoppage had disrupted their performance.
“Think that’s out of our control, so we need to adapt, and I think we did that really well,” Jules Kounde said.
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Looking at the momentum chart from the match, if anything, France’s dominance before the break wasn’t rewarded properly, but they were able to settle and truly impose their will in the second half while getting a much-needed strong performance out of their front four ahead of facing Norway. It’s momentum that can be carried to Boston, but with Senegal losing, Iraq have a chance too, as this group of death will go down to the final day.
