Milestone Mbappe marks 100th with a double
Kylian Mbappe scored twice on his 100th appearance for France to help Les Bleus to a 3-0 victory over Iraq in a weather-affected World Cup clash at Philadelphia Stadium.
The France captain scored in either half, with half-time lasting two hours and 10 minutes due to thunderstorms in the area, and Ousmane Dembele also scored to send them to the round of 32 after two straight wins in Group I.
France made a quick start, and Mbappe marked his landmark appearance just 14 minutes in. He played a one-two with Michael Olise, who set Mbappe up to bend a lovely effort into the back of the net, despite Ahmed Basil getting fingertips to it.
Iraq introduced Ali Al Hamadi for the injured Aymen Hussein after the first-half hydration break, and he provided a spark, nodding a header just wide moments after coming on.
Mbappe then went for the spectacular from the edge of the centre circle in Iraq's half after a loose pass from Zaid Ismael, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
Iraq was the first to blink after returning to the pitch for the second half. A short goal-kick from Zaid Tahseen was fired into a helpless Basil, and his loose touch was pounced on by Dembele, who unselfishly put it on a plate for Mbappe to slot into an empty net in the 54th minute.
Olise then struck the crossbar with a lovely lob, before Dembele's first-time curler was tipped away by Basil, and Adrien Rabiot was only able to nod wide on the rebound.
But Dembele ended his long wait for a major tournament goal 66 minutes in. Having hit the side netting moments before, Dembele brilliantly turned to drill a low strike under Basil to get France's third.
Iraq threatened to snatch a late consolation, with Al Hamadi sliding in to poke wide under pressure from Lucas Digne, but France finished on top with Mbappe firing wide as he missed the chance to grab a hat-trick.
