Philadelphia experienced a wild night. France showed no mercy to Iraq, thrashing them 3-0 in a match that will be remembered for an electric storm that halted play for two hours. But once the ball started rolling again, the French proved why they are title contenders.
The match, corresponding to the second round of Group I, started normally, but at the end of the first half, the sky unleashed. A thunderstorm alert forced the activation of the safety protocol: players went to the locker room and fans had to leave the stands. Only after two hours, with approval from authorities, re-entry was allowed and the match resumed from halftime.
But the stoppage did not cool France down. On the contrary, the Europeans came out determined to finish the game. And they did it quickly. Minutes after the restart, a gross error by defender Zaid Tahseen and goalkeeper Ahmed Basil gifted the ball to Ousmane Dembélé, who served it on a platter to Kylian Mbappé to score his second goal of the night. The Real Madrid forward, celebrating his 100th match with the France shirt, had already opened the scoring in the first half with an impressive left-footed strike from outside the box.
But the party did not end there. Midway through the second half, Dembélé also wanted to leave his mark. He received a pass from Michael Olise and, inside the box, finished across goal with his right foot to make it 3-0 final. The score could have been larger, but France settled for a rout that reflects the difference in class between the two teams.
With this victory, France qualified for the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, confirming their status as contenders. Didier Deschamps’ team is an offensive whirlwind: Mbappé, Olise, Dembélé, Barcola, Doué, Cherki… a luxury attack that already totals 16 goals for Mbappé in World Cups, closing in on Lionel Messi in the race to be the all-time top scorer.
Mbappé had anticipated beforehand: «This is a more offensive team than in 2018 and 2022, much more oriented towards playing forward.» And he was not wrong. The front four understand each other perfectly, with movements and rotations that dismantle any defense.
On the other side, Iraq suffers two defeats in the World Cup and sees the dream of qualifying slipping further away. Graham Arnold’s side, the same coach who led Australia to the Round of 16 in Qatar 2022, cannot find the formula to compete. Their only previous World Cup appearance was in Mexico 1986, with three losses. This time, at least, they sought to win their first match in history, but they ran into an overwhelming France.
The head-to-head record between the two teams began with this match, and France dominated from start to finish. Now, the French await their Round of 32 opponent, while Iraq will try to bow out with dignity in the final matchday.
Watch the 2026 World Cup in the best quality
These are the most sought-after TVs to watch the national team. All with 12 interest-free installments:
- Smart TV Kanji 32″ LED HD – From $120,000 in 12 interest-free installments (VAFTS9-89J3)
- Smart TV LG 43″ 4K UHD WebOS – From $450,000 in 12 interest-free installments (VAFTS9-WXW9)
- Smart TV Samsung 50″ 4K UHD – From $600,000 in 12 interest-free installments (VAFTS9-VVE0)
Approximate prices. 12 interest-free installments subject to each seller. Search for the codes on Mercado Libre.
kjjj mira esos iraquíes choreando petrodólares pa nada para mí son unos muertos mientras tanto mbappé el unico negro q bancamos les metió dos golazos de clase francia potencia mundial a seguir choreando copas yo creo q esto huele a más de lo mismo vamos la zurda 💪⚽
Para mí Mbappé es un fenómeno, lo mejor que nos pasó desde el 86. Francia arrasó como corresponde, a esos iraquíes no les dió ni la hora. La tormenta fue una señal, el cielo lloró porque sabía que se venían goles. Vamos Francia, a romperla toda, viva la patria carajo!