Storm clouds were already building over Philadelphia Stadium when Canadian referee Drew Fischer blew for half-time at 17:49, France leading 1-0. Then came the heavy rain, a threat of thunderstorms and a two-hour delay that left players, coaches and all 68,344 fans in limbo.
“We’ve been through an awful lot tonight,” screamed the stadium announcer. A game that started at 17:00 local time finally ended at 20:47 because of safety concerns over adverse weather. During the interval the skies opened further, and lightning was detected. Fifa, which must adhere to advice from local authorities, followed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) rule: if any strike is detected within eight miles of the stadium, the game must be stopped.
“Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France beat Iraq 3-0 after a two-hour weather delay in Philadelphia.”
France captain Kylian Mbappe, making his 100th international appearance, said: “It was a very long evening. We spent a lot of time waiting. It’s emotionally and mentally draining because we had to stay fully focused and engaged in the dressing room.” France boss Didier Deschamps joked: “We played cards. No, well, we were waiting. You cannot fight against the rain and lightning.”
When it was finally deemed safe to resume at 20:00, Mbappe wasted no time. He rifled a ferocious left-footed strike into the far corner for his 14th-minute opener, then added a second after the restart to make it 3-0, Ousmane Dembele also scoring his first World Cup goal. The brace took Mbappe to four goals in the tournament, keeping pace with Lionel Messi’s five after the Argentine broke the all-time World Cup scoring record earlier on Monday.
Mbappe’s double came on the same day Messi struck twice for Argentina, setting a new record of 17 overall World Cup goals. “Messi, it’s clear,” Mbappe had answered when asked who was best. But his performance was a statement of his own.
There was no hydration break in the second half, and just two minutes of added time. This was the 42nd match at this World Cup and the first stopped because of weather. Local cable TV networks had predicted the storms. The sun had been shining hours before kick-off; by half-time the storm had hit.
“It’s a question of safety,” Deschamps said. “It’s important to take no risks.” France, guaranteed a place in the knockout stages after winning their first two group games, ran out 3-0 winners. For Mbappe, it was another step in his pursuit of Messi’s crown.