Mbappe’s France and Haaland’s Norway eye the last 32 on Group I’s big Monday

Group I delivers a heavyweight Monday night in the United States, with both early leaders chasing the win that would carry them into the last 32. France take on Iraq in Philadelphia before Erling Haaland’s Norway meet Senegal in New Jersey, and for Indian viewers both kick-offs land in the small hours of Tuesday: France start at 2.30am IST, Norway at 5.30am IST.

The group split cleanly on the opening matchday. France beat Senegal 3-1 and Norway saw off Iraq 4-1, leaving the two winners on three points and the two beaten sides still searching for their first. Norway sit top on goal difference, France a place behind them, and Senegal and Iraq now have little room left to manoeuvre.

France look to make sure against Iraq

Didier Deschamps is managing France at his final major tournament, and a second win would all but book his side a knockout place with a game to spare. The story so far has been Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice against Senegal to move clear as France’s all-time leading scorer and edge closer to the World Cup’s outright goalscoring record. Iraq, back on this stage after a long absence, pushed Spain in a pre-tournament friendly and will not fold easily, but France carry far more firepower and should expect to control the night in Philadelphia.

A win would take France to six points and, in the 48-team format where the top two of each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance, that is almost certainly enough to go through. Even a draw would leave Deschamps’s side in a strong position heading into a likely group decider.

Haaland’s Norway meet a wounded Senegal

Norway arrived at the World Cup carrying both a long wait and serious expectation, and Haaland answered the second part inside 45 minutes against Iraq, scoring twice as his side ran out 4-1 winners. Senegal, by contrast, are already up against it. Beaten by France in their opener, they need a result at MetLife Stadium to keep their own qualification hopes alive, and they remain a side packed with pace and power capable of hurting anyone on their day.

That sets up the more open of the two fixtures. Norway can secure their own passage with a win, while Senegal know defeat would leave them with everything riding on the final round and a heavy reliance on the third-place permutations.

What is on the line

Should both France and Norway win, the pair would meet on the last matchday with first place in Group I the only thing left to settle, both already through. A slip from either would hand Senegal or Iraq a way back in. Either way, the bottom of this group could look very different by the time the dust settles on the round.

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