Kylian Mbappe marked his 100th international appearance in memorable fashion, scoring twice as France defeated Iraq 3-0 to secure a place in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup after a match disrupted by a lengthy weather delay in Philadelphia.
The French superstar struck once in each half, with nearly three hours separating his goals after severe thunderstorms forced officials to delay the second-half restart for almost two hours. Ousmane Dembele added a third goal as France maintained control throughout and moved into the Round of 32 with a commanding performance.
Deschamps Praises Professionalism After Delay
“We played a very good first half and responded well after the interruption,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “It was not an easy situation, but the players stayed focused and finished the job professionally.”
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 14th minute, collecting a pass from Michael Olise before unleashing a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area that left Iraqi goalkeeper Ahmed Basil with no chance. The weather interruption did little to alter the momentum. Shortly after play resumed, Iraq gifted France a second goal when a defensive error from a goal kick allowed Dembele to set up Mbappe for a simple finish in the 54th minute. Dembele then capped an impressive display by converting another incisive pass from Olise 12 minutes later.
Mbappe Ties World Cup Scoring Record
The brace took Mbappe to 16 career World Cup goals, drawing him level with German great Miroslav Klose on the tournament’s all-time scoring list. It also moved him to four goals in the competition, keeping him firmly in contention for the Golden Boot. France will now face Norway in a decisive Group I showdown for first place, while Iraq must defeat Senegal in their final group match and rely on other results to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Haaland Continues Golden Run as Norway Beat Senegal
Erling Haaland continued his outstanding World Cup campaign with a clinical two-goal display as Norway defeated Senegal 3-2 to secure a place in the knockout rounds for the first time since 1998. Making their first World Cup appearance in 28 years, the Norwegians showcased resilience and attacking quality in a rain-soaked encounter in New Jersey, overcoming a spirited Senegal side widely regarded as one of Africa’s strongest contenders.
Senegal controlled large portions of the opening half-hour and effectively limited Haaland’s influence. However, Norway struck first just before the break when substitute Marcus Pedersen capitalized on a defensive lapse involving captain Kalidou Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to fire home.
Norway Dominate After Halftime
The Scandinavian side seized complete control shortly after halftime. Martin Odegaard delivered a trademark pass that released Haaland, who blasted an unstoppable finish into the top corner. Ten minutes later, the prolific striker added his second, volleying in off the crossbar to take his tournament tally to four goals in two matches. Senegal responded through Ismaila Sarr, who scored twice, including a late stoppage-time effort, but the comeback fell short as Norway held firm to claim a memorable victory.
“We are through and we played much better than in our first match,” said Alexander Sorloth. “Senegal are an excellent team, but I believe we deserved the win.”
Algeria Fight Back to Eliminate Jordan and Revive World Cup Hopes
Algeria breathed new life into their World Cup campaign, rallying from a goal down to defeat Jordan 2-1 and eliminate the tournament debutants with a match to spare in Group J. After suffering a heavy opening defeat to Argentina, Algeria responded with determination and resilience as second-half strikes from substitute Nadhir Benbouali and forward Amine Gouiri secured a crucial victory.
Jordan stunned Algeria in the 36th minute when Nizar Al-Rashdan capitalized on a defensive turnover and drilled a first-time effort into the bottom corner, giving his side a deserved lead after an energetic first-half display. Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic’s halftime changes transformed the contest. Benbouali levelled in the 69th minute, rising above a crowded defence to head home a corner delivered by veteran playmaker Riyad Mahrez. Following a lengthy VAR review, the goal was awarded.
Gouiri Seals Comeback Victory
With momentum firmly on their side, Algeria struck again eight minutes from time. A dangerous corner created chaos inside the penalty area, allowing Gouiri to react quickest and poke home the winner. “We showed strong character after conceding,” Gouiri said. “This victory will give us confidence moving forward.” The result lifts Algeria level with Austria on three points and sets up a decisive showdown between the two nations. Meanwhile, Jordan’s historic first World Cup campaign comes to an end despite a spirited effort.
