Saliba and Odegaard Advance to World Cup Knockouts as Mbappe Shines

William Saliba and Martin Odegaard both booked their places in the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds on a wild, weather-scarred Monday that belonged to the heavyweights in attack.

Saliba stands firm as Mbappe takes centre stage

In Philadelphia, the rain never really stopped. Neither did France.

Saliba played every minute of France’s 3-0 win over Iraq at Philadelphia Stadium, anchoring a back line that barely gave up a breath of space. He finished with seven defensive interventions and a razor-sharp 95% pass completion, the calm eye in a storm that was literal as well as sporting.

Up the pitch, Kylian Mbappe did what Kylian Mbappe does. Fourteen minutes in, he broke the deadlock, striking early to put France in command before the weather turned the evening into an endurance test.

A violent downpour and storms forced a remarkable two-hour half-time delay. Players cooled down, the pitch soaked up water, the crowd waited. When they finally re-emerged, France’s No 10 needed just nine minutes of the second half to find his rhythm again and complete his brace, punishing Iraq with clinical precision.

Ousmane Dembele added a third to seal it, a goal that reflected the pattern of the night: France sharper, faster, and utterly ruthless when it mattered.

The result leaves France on six points from two games, top of Group I on goal difference. Just behind them, matching their points but not their margin of victory, sit Norway.

Odegaard pulls the strings as Haaland powers Norway through

Norway’s 3-2 win over Senegal had a different texture: nervy, open, and laced with jeopardy.

They led 1-0 at the break thanks to Marcus Pedersen, whose first-half strike gave the Scandinavians a platform. After the interval, Odegaard began to dictate.

Early in the second half, the Norway captain sliced Senegal open with an incisive through ball, the kind of pass that changes a game’s temperature in an instant. Erling Haaland did the rest, surging through to make it 2-0 and, briefly, to give Norway what looked like clear daylight.

Senegal refused to fold. Ismaila Sarr dragged them back into it, pulling one back to rattle Norwegian composure. The contest opened up, space appeared, and the big names took over.

Haaland struck again. Sarr answered with another of his own. A 3-2 scoreline told the story: Norway were far from comfortable, but they were clinical enough to get over the line and into the last 32.

At the whistle, Odegaard and his teammates celebrated with a full-blooded Norwegian viking row, a release of tension and a statement of togetherness from a side that knows tougher tests lie ahead.

All eyes on England’s late kick-off

Attention now turns to Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions, who face Ghana in a 9pm kick-off with their own ambitions of momentum and control.

Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze all chase back-to-back wins, hoping to join Saliba and Odegaard in turning a solid group-stage start into something more serious.

On a day when Europe’s stars underlined their credentials, the question is simple: will England’s follow suit under the lights tonight?