Kylian Mbappe Scores Twice as France Beats Iraq After Two-Hour Weather Delay

PHILADELPHIA -  It's not often a superstar can score goals more than two hours apart in a single match. It's just another accomplishment for Kylian Mbappe. France's superstar is increasingly inevitable as he scored a brace to lead France to a 3-0 victory over Iraq after a delay in the match of more than two hours due to stormy weather and lightning in the area. For the first time during a World Cup match, FIFA had to enact its weather protocol for lightning in the area as the match went to halftime and then didn't resume for two hours and eleven minutes after the players got time to warm up.

During the delay, fans had to leave the stadium bowl and take cover in the concourse, but spirits were high with "Oles" ringing out in the rain and a show of cheers when the players came back to the pitch to warm up. Due to the amount of rain, squeegees had to be used to help clear puddles on the pitch, but once the water was gone, France were able to get back to what they began in the first half, handling business to qualify for the round of 32 and put themselves in pole position to win the group, depending on the result of Norway vs. Senegal.

From the moment La Marseillaise rang out around the stadium, France were off and running. Mbappe almost scored within 2 minutes, but he wouldn't leave anyone waiting for long with a left-footed belter from outside the box to put France ahead in the 14th minute of play. It was always written that Mbappe would mark his 100th cap for the national team with a goal, and even if Iraq manager Graham Arnold got to start three keepers like he joked about before the match, it still may not have been enough to stop Mbappe's wrist-breaking shot.

After the delay, Mbappe was able to get a second goal as Ousmane Dembele set him up before scoring one of his own after struggling in the opening match against Senegal. If the front three are clicking, and Michael Olise also had an assist during the match as well, then this team will be a force to be reckoned with as they're among the favorites to win the World Cup.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/kylian-mbappe-shines-as-france-overcomes-two-hour-weather-delay-to-beat-iraq/)._