Mbappé Scores Twice As France Defeat Iraq

PARIS: (Web Desk) – France secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Iraq on Monday as captain Kylian Mbappé celebrated his 100th international appearance with a brilliant two-goal performance at the FIFA World Cup.

The match, played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, was disrupted by severe weather and delayed by more than two hours after halftime due to a powerful storm that swept through the city.

Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area before adding his second goal early in the second half. Ousmane Dembélé also found the net as France strengthened its position among the tournament favorites.

The brace took Mbappé’s World Cup tally to 16 goals, moving him level with German legend Miroslav Klose and ahead of Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazário, who scored 15 World Cup goals. He now trails only Lionel Messi, who earlier raised his World Cup total to 18 goals.

Jane Marriott Praises Sialkot’s World-Class Football Manufacturing

Heavy rain began falling late in the first half, prompting officials to suspend play at halftime and instruct spectators to seek shelter. Under U.S. weather safety protocols, sporting events must be paused when severe storms are detected nearby.

When action resumed, Iraq struggled to recover. A defensive error involving goalkeeper Ahmed Basil and defender Zaid Tahseen gifted France a second goal, allowing Mbappé to finish easily after being set up by Dembélé.

France continued to dominate, with Michael Olise striking the crossbar before creating the third goal for Dembélé, who sealed the victory in the 66th minute.

The win follows France’s opening triumph over Senegal and guarantees their place in the knockout stage. Iraq, meanwhile, faces the prospect of an early exit after suffering a second consecutive defeat in the tournament.

Mbappé, who recently became France’s all-time leading scorer by surpassing Olivier Giroud, now has 60 goals in 100 appearances for the national team and continues to strengthen his legacy on football’s biggest stage.