FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Today highlights: Kylian Mbappe scored twice while Ousmane Dembele scored one to help France defeat Iraq at a FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage game which confirms France’s path to the Round of 32. It was a game whose second half has been delayed by over two hours due to adverse weather conditions in Philadelphia. According to an initial statement by FIFA, “A 30-minute break has been announced. FIFA will follow the safety protocols established by the local authorities, and the match will resume as soon as it is safe to do so.”
At half-time, France are leading 1-0, thanks to a goal from Mbappe. Mbappe, who scored a brace in France’s opening match against Senegal, was back on the scoresheet after smashing France’s opener in the 14th minute against Iraq at Philadelphia at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Monday night.
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Mbappe is leading the French line after watching former PSG teammate Lionel Messi score his 17th and 18th goals at World Cups. Mbappe has currently scored 16 goals in 16 games.
Mbappe and France, who were in general kept quiet by the Senegalese in the first half, burst into life in the second, with the Real Madrid player slamming two goals in the 66th and 90th minute while Bradley Barcola added another in the 82md minute. Ibrahim Mbaye also relied with one for Senegal but the African team ultimately went down 3-1.
Iraq, meanwhile, are metaphorically coming out of the frying pan and into the fire with the Asian team facing France after a debilitating loss to Norway where they were thrashed 4-1. Erling Haaland had grabbed a brace while Leo Ostigard chipped in with one. The last goal was an own goal from Aymen Hussain to tie a neat bow on the misery basket. Hussain was also the one who had scored for Iraq in the match in the 39th minute.
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France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal of his team during the World Cup Group. (AP photo)
Shoddy in the first half, divine in the second: Mbappe’s comeback
For just three seconds, Kylian Mbappe suspended his own memory of the game. Of his sufferings of the day, of his seeming detachment to the game, of the feeling of being a stranger trapped in his shirt. And then, the instincts kicked in. The muscle memory — honed to robotic precision — took over. When the superlative Michael Olise stitched a pass into his side, he swayed and opened his body, carving space for his right foot to come around the ball, and struck it diagonally into the nets, past the lunging Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. (READ MORE)
