Mbappe double in storm-hit Philadelphia keeps him two goals behind Messi's World Cup record

Kylian Mbappe scored twice to fire France to a 3-0 World Cup victory over Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Tuesday, though the match lasted nearly four hours after a lightning storm forced a delay of over two hours before the second half could begin.

The Real Madrid forward now has four goals at this tournament and 16 in World Cup football overall — two behind Lionel Messi, who earlier in the day scored a brace of his own as Argentina beat Austria 2-0, breaking Miroslav Klose’s all-time record for World Cup goals in the process.

Mbappe opened the scoring after just 14 minutes, receiving the ball from Michael Olise on the edge of the area and driving a thunderous strike into the top corner past goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, who got a hand to it but could not keep it out.

His second arrived courtesy of a costly goalkeeping error. Defender Zaid Tahseen played a short goal kick back to Basil, who miscontrolled, and Ousmane Dembele pounced before squaring for Mbappe to roll the ball into an empty net — a sequence painfully similar to the error that gifted Erling Haaland a goal in Iraq’s opening group game against Norway.

The heavens opened eight minutes before half-time, sending fans scrambling for cover. The first half was completed, but lightning in the area prevented the restart, with the second half eventually getting underway two and a quarter hours later. Ground staff worked throughout to clear standing water from the Lincoln Financial Field surface, which at times resembled a county cricket outfield mid-downpour.

Olise struck the crossbar with an audacious curling effort shortly before the break, and Adrien Rabiot somehow headed wide from four yards after Basil could only parry a Dembele shot into his path.

Dembele eventually got his name on the scoresheet when Olise threaded a delicious outside-of-the-boot pass to release him through on goal. The PSG winger finished emphatically — remarkably his first goal in 19 major tournament appearances for France.

The result moves France onto six points and secures their place in the last 32. Didier Deschamps’ side conclude their group stage against Norway on Friday.