Ousmane Dembélé scored his first tournament goal for France at the 20th attempt, helping Les Bleus secure a 3-0 victory over Iraq in a storm-hit match in Philadelphia. The win sets up a clash with Norway on Friday to decide Group I's top spot, but Norway striker Erling Haaland has already conceded defeat. 'Honestly I don't care that much,' Haaland told Fox in the United States. 'They're probably going to win against us. They're probably going to win the whole tournament.'
Dembélé ends goal drought
Dembélé, who had been under scrutiny for his role in the team, scored in the second half after converting a smooth assist from Michael Olise. He also provided an assist for Kylian Mbappé earlier in the match, pouncing on an Iraqi defensive error. France coach Didier Deschamps praised the Paris Saint-Germain winger. 'There is no issue with Ousmane, he has had to readapt to a system he doesn't play all year,' Deschamps said. 'As long as Ousmane is well physically, it's just fine-tuning. I trust in Ousmane, he knows that, and doing what he did today was important. He's a decisive player, so is Kylian, but Ousmane has that capacity.'
France's attacking depth
Dembélé remained on the right side of France's attacking four for the entire match, maintaining width and contributing to the team's dominance. He had 67 touches, created three chances, made four passes in the final third, and recovered the ball three times. His performance was comparable to Olise's and ahead of Bradley Barcola on the opposite flank. Defender Jules Koundé, who partners Dembélé on the right, said: 'I think he played a very good match. He's someone who is naturally confident. I'm just happy for him that he was able to score that first goal and overall be decisive. But it's above all a collective performance.'
Rotation and defensive concerns
Deschamps rotated his squad against Iraq, bringing in Barcola, Manu Koné, and Lucas Digne. Koné impressed in place of Aurélien Tchouaméni. France created nine big chances in their first two games and have regained the ball 47 times in the opponent's defensive third, the second-highest total in the tournament. However, the win was France's first clean sheet in seven matches, and Iraq generated 0.63 xG, with Ali al-Hamadi coming close to scoring. France's high full-back positioning leaves space in the channels, a vulnerability that Norway may exploit.
Mental test ahead
France's dominance may lead to complacency, a issue that hurt them in their knockout defeat to Switzerland at Euro 2020. The Norway game will provide a tougher test to assess France's defensive and mental strength. Despite the potential flaws, France's attack has clicked, and the team projects determined unity. As Haaland suggested, France are favorites to win the tournament, but they must stay focused to avoid an upset.
