France and Norway Secure Knockout Spots at World Cup

France and Norway have secured their places in the knockout stage of the World Cup following wins over Iraq and Senegal in Group I.

France defeated Iraq 3-0. Kylian Mbappé scored twice to lead his team to a convincing victory. He opened the scoring in the 14th minute after a combination with Michael Olise. The match was interrupted by a storm, causing a two-hour half-time break. In the second half, Mbappé made it 2-0 after an assist from Ousmane Dembélé, who later scored the third goal. Mbappé, playing his 100th match for France, has now scored 16 World Cup goals.

Norway beat Senegal 3-2. Erling Haaland netted twice, while Marcus Pedersen opened the scoring in the 43rd minute shortly after replacing the injured Julian Ryerson. Haaland had several chances, including hitting the post, before scoring in the 48th minute from Martin Ødegaard's pass. Senegal's Ismaila Sarr pulled one back after an assist from Sadio Mané, but Haaland restored the two-goal lead following a pass from Patrick Berg. Sarr scored again in stoppage time, but it was not enough.

Both teams have six points and will contest the group's top spot in the final round. Senegal and Iraq have zero points. This is the first World Cup with 48 teams, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The group stage ends on June 27, with the knockout stage starting on June 28. The semifinals are scheduled for July 14 and 15, the bronze medal match on July 18, and the final on July 19. Argentina, who defeated France on penalties in the 2022 final, are the reigning champions.