PHILADELPHIA — Kylian Mbappé scored twice to move into a tie for second in career World Cup goals with 16, and France played through the tournament’s first rain delay to beat Iraq 3-0 on Monday and advance to the knockout stage.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé also scored for Les Bleus, giving fans who stuck out a rainy night in Philadelphia a reason to cut loose.
Mbappé scored in the 14th and 54th minutes to cap a momentous and soggy 100th international appearance for one of the best players in the world.
Mbappé had a chance at the hat trick on a late breakaway, but missed before he was subbed out at the 90-minute mark.
Mbappe’s first goal gave France a 1-0 lead into halftime, when heavy rain and an incoming thunderstorm prompted a delay of just over two hours and forced the grounds crew to squeegee water off the swampy Kentucky bluegrass field.