World Cup 2026 Day 12: Group I Recap

The stars were out and scoring goals on Monday night as Group I took center stage for the 2nd round of Group Stage matches at FIFA World Cup 2026. 

In a 2-0 win over Austria earlier in the day, Lionel Messi officially became the top goal-scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup (18) after bagging two goals in Argentina’s 2nd straight win to start the tournament.  But in the slate of games behind him were two guys who know a thing or two about scoring goals themselves in France’s Kylian Mbappé, taking on Iraq - back at the World Cup for the first time in 40 years, and Norway’s Erling Haaland, facing off against Sadio Mané’s Senegal. 

General view inside the stadium during the national anthems before the match

Bernadett Szabo

World Cup Group I - Matchday 2

France 3 - 0 Iraq

Despite the prospect of severe weather and long delays in the area, an eager, sold-out crowd showed up at Philadelphia Stadium on Monday afternoon, ready for World Cup action in South Philly.  

Iraq, back on the world stage for the first time since the 1986 tournament in Mexico, came into Monday’s match looking for its first-ever point at the World Cup after going 0W-0D-3L during their last campaign. But standing in Iraq’s way was a star-studded French team coming off a 3-1 win against Senegal in their opener in NY/NJ, and a #10 who will have seen what Lionel Messi did earlier in the day and will desperately want to match that performance and keep that all-time World Cup goal scoring record within reaching distance. 

France's Kylian Mbappe scores their first goal

Claudia Greco

And that’s exactly what he did. In the 14th minute in a packed Philadelphia Stadium, Kylian Mbappè pulled out a moment of magic after being fed a pass at the top of the penalty area from Michal Olise.  Mbappé received the pass, squared himself toward goal, and unleashed a left-footed shot from distance that bent Iraqi goalkeeper Ahmed Basil Fadhil’s fingertips and bulged the back of the net to give France a 1-0 lead. The early goal was Mbappé’s 15th goal at the World Cup all-time. 

Just after the half-hour mark, the previously mentioned severe weather moved over Philadelphia Stadium. The last 10-15 minutes of the first half were played in a torrential downpour, one that sent a lot of fans scrambling for cover in the concourse a few minutes before the half-time whistle. 

Once the players were off the field, Philadelphia Stadium announced that the match was officially SUSPENDED due to lightning in the area, putting the entire stadium under a “Shelter in Place” for the next 30 minutes. Every time another lightning strike happens in the area, the 30-minute timer restarts until there’s no threat in an 8-mile radius of the stadium.  

General view inside the stadium as it rains during the match

Bernadett Szabo

Fans crowded the concourse. People sheltered under staircases. Iraqi fans got together to sing and dance and show support for their team despite being down 1-0. A few French fans stood strong at the top of Philadelphia Stadium, waiting out the rain and waving the French flag the entire time.  

After about a 2-hour delay, things got back underway in South Philadelphia, and it was all the French in the remaining 45 minutes of this match. In the 54th minute, Kylian Mbappé netted his 2nd of the night, this time courtesy of a mistake made while trying to play the ball out of the back by Iraqi defender Zaid Tahseen and goalkeeper Ahmed Basil Fadhil. Ousmane Dembélé picked up the errant pass just outside the 6-yard box and unselfishly slid the ball over to Mbappé for a wide-open-net tap-in, bringing his total World Cup goal tally to 16 - tied with Germany’s legendary Miroslav Klose for 2nd and just 2 behind Lionel Messi’s leading 18. 

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - France v Iraq - Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. - June 22, 2026.France's Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring their third goal with Jules Kounde and Kylian Mbappe IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/James Lang TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

JAMES LANG

Then, in the 66th minute, Ousmane Dembélé was repaid for his selfless assist to Mbappé and was rewarded with his first-ever goal at the FIFA World Cup. Michael Olise, already with an assist on Mbappé’s first goal, darted through the midfield away from a number of defenders and slid an outside-of-the-foot pass into Dembélé inside the penalty area. Dembélé let the ball run across his body, settled with his right foot, and with his 2nd touch fired a shot into the low far corner to expand France’s lead over Iraq to 3-0. 

The win for France moves them to 6 points and to the top of Group I with one match to play against Norway, who will be looking to take down the French and claim the group’s top spot themselves.  Iraq, having lost its 2nd straight match by 3 goals, is more than likely going home after its final group stage match against Senegal later this week. 

Norway 3 - 2 Senegal

After a 3-1 loss to France in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, Sadio Mané and The Lions of Teranga came into Monday’s clash with Erling Haaland and the Vikings of Norway, desperate for a result that keeps Senegal’s knockout round hopes alive.  But on the other side of the ball was a Norwegian group, back at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, coming off a 4-1 victory over Iraq in their debut at the 2026 tournament and hungry for the top spot in Group I. 

General view inside the stadium before the match

Dylan Martinez

Just before half-time in the 43rd minute, Norway took the lead in NY/NJ thanks to substitute Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, who entered the match for an injured Julian Ryerson in the 13th minute. Pedersen picked up an errant clearance from Senegal center back Kalidou Koulibaly just outside the penalty area, carried the ball into the box, and unleashed a right-footed shot that deflected off the gloves of goalkeeper Édouard Mendy and into the back of the net. 

Norway wasted very little time coming out of the half-time break, doubling their lead in the 48th minute thanks to Erling Haaland. After a Senegal turnover just outside of Norway’s penalty area, midfielder Martin Ødegaard stormed up the pitch with 3 of his teammates in support, outnumbering the retreating Senegalese defense. Ødegaard surveyed his options, stayed patient on the ball, and eventually slipped a pass between two defenders to find Erling Haaland in the box, who finished with the first touch of his left foot. 

In the 53rd minute, Senegal found their lifeline back into the game thanks to Ismaïla Sarr. Sarr found himself in on goal after a creative flick from Sadio Mané cut through traffic and found Sarr just inside Norway’s penalty area. Sarr’s opportunity was almost blocked by an impeding David Møller Wolfe, but somehow Sarr was able to stick the ball into the back of the net on his way down to the ground to make it 2-1. 

Norway's Erling Haaland scores their third goal past Senegal's Edouard Mendy

Mike Segar

But just 5 minutes later, in the 58th minute, it was Erling Haaland once again putting the ball in the back of the net to restore Norway’s 2-goal advantage. Midfielder Sander Berge entered into Senegal’s penalty area with the ball on his left and chipped a pass into the middle for the 6-foot-5-inch striker, who volleyed the ball with the inside of his right foot off the cross-bar and into the net for his 2nd goal of the match. 

In the 93rd minute, it was Crystal Palace's Sarr finding the back of the net again to give his team some hope in stoppage time. Nicolas Jackson received a cross into the area near the top of the box and slid a pass to Sarr with just the keeper to beat. He dug the ball out of his feet and fired a right-footed shot into the net to bring the deficit to 3-2 with 6 minutes of stoppage time to find an equalizer. 

Sarr, already on a brace, did get a chance to complete the hat-trick with a header from a corner kick in the 97th minute, but his attempt sailed just over the bar, ending this one in a 3-2 win for Norway. 

Senegal's Ismaila Sarr celebrates scoring their second goal with Sadio Mane

Mike Segar

The loss for Senegal puts them in 3rd place in Group I with 0 points through the first two games.  They’ll face off against Iraq on the final day of Group Stage play, looking for their first point of the 2026 tournament.  Norway, with a perfect 6 points through two.

Day 12, Group I, Round-up:

Day 13 Matches: