Messi's Argentina and Mbappé's France Dominant on a Stunning World Cup Sunday

Sunday, June 22 delivered four matches across four American stadiums, and the day belonged to the tournament's heavyweights. Argentina dispatched Austria 2–0 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, and France were equally ruthless, beating Iraq 3–0 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to send a firm statement to the rest of the competition.

Argentina were controlled and clinical in Dallas, their back line offering Austria nothing while the attack did its damage at the other end. The result tightens their grip on their group and underlines why they arrived in the United States as one of the genuine favourites to lift the trophy in July.

In Philadelphia, France were equally merciless. A 3–0 win over Iraq, played under difficult weather conditions after a storm delay, showed the depth and resilience of Didier Deschamps's squad. Iraq had little answer to the speed and quality France brought in the final third, and the scoreline was a fair reflection of the evening's play.

Norway provided the day's most dramatic contest, coming from behind or trading blows with Senegal in a 3–2 thriller at MetLife Stadium in New York / New Jersey. It was end-to-end football at its best, with both sides committed to attack, and Norway ultimately held on for a vital three points.

In San Francisco Bay Area, Algeria edged Jordan 2–1 at Levi's Stadium to secure their progression and end Jordan's World Cup journey. It was a tight affair, but Algeria showed the composure to see it through when it mattered most, leaving Jordan unable to recover from the result.