France
IraqThe narrative of the evening belonged as much to the Philadelphia sky as to the two teams — France led 1-0 when the heavens opened and officials sent players off for a two-hour delay, the kind of interlude that flattens momentum and rewards the steadier nerve. That nerve belonged to France. Back on the pitch, Mbappé's 54th-minute second goal arrived before Iraq could find their footing, and Dembélé's finish completed the count, confirming a professional and ultimately unhurried victory that secured Les Bleus' place in the knockout stage from Group I.
France
France were measured and commanding from the first whistle, with Mbappé breaking the deadlock with a typically composed finish in the fourteenth minute to establish the advantage they would not relinquish. A two-hour storm delay at halftime threatened to disrupt France's rhythm, but Deschamps' side returned with purpose — Mbappé added his second in the 54th and Dembélé completed the rout with a clinical third. France play football at a speed and technical level that makes even a professional World Cup group stage look unhurried; they are through to the knockout round having barely been asked a serious question.
Iraq
Iraq's effort was genuine and their defensive organisation creditable for stretches, but the gulf in individual quality became the story the moment France shifted into second gear. The Mesopotamians could not sustain pressure against a front line operating at Champions League pace, and the two-hour storm delay changed nothing about the fundamental imbalance between the two squads. Iraq exit their second World Cup match without a goal, and the 0-3 scoreline is an honest reflection of where their campaign stands.