Long Break: Bayern Star Olise Works His Magic for France | OneFootball

Michael Olise led France to an early spot in the Round of 16 with another strong performance. The Bayern star set up two goals in the 3-0 win over Iraq. Dayot Upamecano also impressed throughout the entire match.

Michael Olise remains one of the standout players of this World Cup. The FC Bayern attacking star once again shone as a playmaker in France’s 3-0 victory over Iraq and played a decisive role in helping the Équipe Tricolore secure early qualification for the knockout stage.

From the French perspective, the match got off to a nearly perfect start. Just 14 minutes in, Olise set up the opening goal. The 24-year-old played a superb pass to Kylian Mbappé, who then fired the ball into the left corner with a spectacular finish.

France dominated the match for long stretches, controlling both the ball and their opponents. However, after the early goal, Didier Deschamps’ team lacked some decisiveness in the final third. Iraq defended compactly and kept the match open until halftime.

A thunderstorm brought the game to a standstill for more than two hours

Shortly before the halftime whistle, a severe thunderstorm rolled over Philadelphia. Spectators were forced to leave the stadium, and the players retreated to the locker rooms.

The match could not resume until after a total interruption of 2 hours and 12 minutes. As a result, a total of about 225 minutes elapsed between kickoff and the final whistle.

The long break, however, did not throw France off its game. On the contrary: The French came out of the locker room highly focused.

Following a disastrous misplaced pass in Iraq’s build-up play, Ousmane Dembélé played a cross to Mbappé, who slotted it home to make it 2–0 and score his second goal of the evening.

Olise with two assists, Upamecano without any issues

Olise then took center stage once again. The Bayern Munich pro nearly scored himself at first, but his spectacular chip hit the crossbar.

Just a few minutes later, he did better. After a strong run, Olise set up Dembélé for the 3-0 goal. The winger kept his cool in front of the net and sealed the victory.

For Olise, it was already his second assist of the evening. Following his two assists against Senegal, the Frenchman now has four assists in this World Cup.

Photo: IMAGO

Dayot Upamecano also had a successful evening. The center back played the entire match and, together with William Saliba, allowed Iraq hardly any dangerous chances. The Bayern Munich pro was particularly composed in dealing with the Iraqis’ numerous long balls.

With their second win in their second match, France has already secured a spot in the Round of 16. Their final group stage match against Norway will now determine whether they finish first in the group.

From FC Bayern’s perspective, Olise’s development in particular is likely to be a source of excitement. The 24-year-old is currently in top form and has been one of the standout players of the tournament so far.