After defeating Senegal 3-1 in their opening match, France secured its second consecutive win, earning a total of six points and solidifying its position at the top of Group I. With this victory, France has guaranteed at least second place in the group, regardless of the outcome of their final group match against Norway on June 27.
In contrast, Iraq faced its second consecutive loss in the group stage, following a 4-1 defeat to Norway. They now find themselves in a precarious situation, needing to win against Senegal in their final match to have any chance of advancing.
Mbappé was the standout player of the match, increasing his World Cup career total to 16 goals. This achievement places him alongside Miroslav Klose (retired, Germany) as the second-highest scorer in World Cup history, surpassing Ronaldo (retired, Brazil). The all-time leader is Lionel Messi (18 goals, Argentina), who also scored twice in Austria's second match.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a sharp left-footed shot from outside the penalty area after receiving a pass from Michael Olise.
He added a second goal in the 54th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error. After Ousmane Dembélé intercepted a pass in the Iraqi penalty area, he set up Mbappé, who calmly finished with his right foot to extend the lead to 2-0.
Dembélé sealed the victory in the 66th minute, scoring his first World Cup goal with a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner after receiving a through ball from Olise.
The match was significantly delayed due to severe weather conditions. Although France led 1-0 at halftime, heavy rain and thunderstorms caused a stoppage of 2 hours and 10 minutes, including a 15-minute halftime delay.
This delay was in accordance with FIFA regulations, which mandate a 30-minute suspension of play if lightning is detected within a 13-kilometer radius of the stadium, with additional stoppage time added for subsequent lightning strikes. This was the first weather-related interruption in the North America tournament.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.