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Sports

Even a World Cup rain delay couldn’t slow down Mbappe and France vs. Iraq

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PHILADELPHIA – It’s not often a superstar can score goals more than two hours apart in a single match. It’s just another accomplishment for Kylian Mbappe. France’s superstar is increasingly inevitable as he scored a brace to lead France to a 3-0 victory over Iraq after a delay in the match of more than two hours due to stormy weather and lightning in the area. For the first time during a World Cup match, FIFA had to enact its weather protocol for lightning in the area as the match went to halftime and then didn’t resume for two hours and eleven minutes after the players got time to warm up.

During the delay, fans had to leave the stadium bowl and take cover in the concourse, but spirits were high with “Oles” ringing out in the rain and a show of cheers when the players came back to the pitch to warm up. Due to the amount of rain, squeegees had to be used to help clear puddles on the pitch, but once the water was gone, France were able to get back to what they began in the first half, handling business to qualify for the round of 32 and put themselves in a position to win the group in a critical match facing Norway in Boston on June 26. Thanks to goal difference, a win or draw will secure first place in Group I for France after Norway conceded a stoppage-time goal to Senegal that could prove to be crucial.

From the moment La Marseillaise rang out around the stadium, France were off and running. Mbappe almost scored within 2 minutes, but he wouldn’t leave anyone waiting for long with a left-footed belter from outside the box to put France ahead in the 14th minute of play. It was always written that Mbappe would mark his 100th cap for the national team with a goal, and even if Iraq manager Graham Arnold got to start three keepers like he joked about before the match, it still may not have been enough to stop Mbappe’s wrist-breaking shot.

France are among the contenders to win the World Cup, and after the match, Iraqi defender Rebin Sulaka summed up the performance that he saw succinctly, saying, “They are good, France were really good.”

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After the delay, Mbappe was able to get a second goal as Ousmane Dembele set him up before scoring one of his own after struggling in the opening match against Senegal. If the front three are clicking, and Michael Olise also had an assist during the match as well, then this team will be a force to be reckoned with as they’re among the favorites to win the World Cup.

Following the match, players said that the weather delay wasn’t much of an impact, and the biggest issue was figuring out what to do during the break. But given that they had time to warm up after the break, it was similar to another kickoff as opposed to if they had stopped play during the half. And France had the additional benefit of no hydration break in the second half due to the delay to keep their pressure up.

“Of course, the weather impacted the players, but I think in the long run, if we see how we went out in the second half from the halftime, we played really good after the break, so I don’t think it impacted us as much as you think,” Sulaka said. “We tried to stay focused and correct our mistakes from the first half, and go out and do better in the second half, so that was what the coach said to us in between the halves”

France were in agreement with that assessment.

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“Think that’s out of our control, so we need to adapt, and I think we did that really well,” Jules Kounde said.


CBS Sports

Looking at the momentum chart from the match, if anything, France’s dominance before the break wasn’t rewarded properly, but they were able to settle and truly impose their will in the second half while getting a much-needed strong performance out of their front four ahead of facing Norway. It’s momentum that can be carried to Boston, but with Senegal losing, Iraq have a chance too, as this group of death will go down to the final day.

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Grahame Begg’s Biologics decision hinges on Caulfield track conditions in 2024

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Two jockeys race side by side on galloping horses, wearing blue and red-and-white silks, with green saddlecloths on a sunny turf track.

Trainer Grahame Begg took valuable information from Biologics’ last start, even though the three-year-old filly finished second-last, nearly ten lengths adrift of the winner.

The run at Flemington proved to the Cranbourne-based trainer that the daughter of I Am Invincible struggles on Heavy tracks.

Pinecliff Racing’s filly came through the 1200-metre race on June 6, her first on a surface rated worse than Good, without any issues. Begg has entered her for Saturday’s 1200m 3YO fillies handicap at Caulfield, but her acceptance is dependent on the weather.

“She was going really well into the race and we thought she’d run really well, but the unknown was the ground,” Begg stated.

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“Obviously they got rain on the day of the race and it deteriorated and she just wasn’t comfortable at all.”

“She’s nominated, so we’ll see what happens and what the week brings.”

The Caulfield track was recorded as a Soft 7 on Monday. However, with minimal rainfall predicted for Melbourne this week, conditions are expected to improve significantly by raceday.

Biologics would be third-up if she contests the race. Her previous start at Flemington was preceded by a dominant first-up victory over 1100m in a fillies and mares benchmark 62 grade at Werribee.

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Prior to that, she had contested a couple of unplaced runs in Stakes company against her own sex last spring, with her sole other start being a maiden win at Pakenham.

Although Begg has not yet committed Biologics to a start, another of his mares, Takeko, is slated to race.

The lightly-raced five-year-old mare will aim to improve her impressive first-up statistics in the $150,000 fillies and mares BM84 over 1100 metres.

Her first-up record shows two wins and a second from three attempts. The daughter of Saxon Warrior indicated potential for another strong fresh run with a second place in a recent Pakenham jumpout.

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Luke Cartwright, a jockey claiming 1.5kg, guided Takeko during the jumpout and will be on board for Saturday’s race. Begg expressed enthusiasm for the mare’s return to racing, her first since winning at Moonee Valley on August 9.

“She’s a progressive mare, she’s coming off a bit of a layoff but she’s going well and she’ll come in very well at the weights after the claim,” Begg said.

The betting markets for Takeko’s return are shaping up. Consider exploring the available racing odds on Australian betting sites.

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Oba Femi Set To Team Up With 6-Time WWE World Champion For The First Time

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Oba Femi is set to team up with former multi-time WWE World Champion Seth Rollins for the first time. The duo will face The Vision on SmackDown after a thrilling face-off on Monday.

Rollins once again made life miserable for The Vision after costing them the WWE World Tag Team Championships in the main event of RAW. His interference led to The Street Profits dethroning Bron Breakker and Austin Theory. After the cameras stopped rolling on RAW, Femi saved Rollins from The Vision.

WWE has announced a huge tag team match for SmackDown. Femi will team up with Rollins to face the now-former World Tag Team Champions in London.

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Here’s WWE’s official announcement:

Bron Breakker made a huge claim about Seth Rollins before WWE Backlash

Bron Breakker and Seth Rollins are set to collide in a Steel Cage Match at the Night of Champions Premium Live Event. This will mark the trilogy between the former Vision stablemates.

Breakker made a huge claim about Rollins before their match at the Backlash Premium Live Event, stating that The Visionary should leave the business, questioning his passion.

“Stuff that goes through my head when I’m working out is my goals. Where I want to be in a year from now, two years from now, next Saturday. On my mind, on repeat. He’s [Seth Rollins] is probably on his bus right now, having his first coffee cup of the day. Just waking up his sorry a** out of bed. You don’t want this sh*t as bad as I want it anymore. He don’t want this like I want this. He doesn’t need this anymore. He’s got all the money in the world, he’s got all the fame. He’s got everything he ever could have dreamed of to get out of this business. He’s already done it all. I need this match. I need to beat him. It’s the only way, it’s the only way that Bron Breakker and The Vision and my brand and Paul Heyman can move forward in here. If we win, it’s on me.”

Oba Femi will also be in action at Night of Champions. He will face Jey Uso in the final of the King of the Ring Tournament.

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