By COLLIN BINKLEY
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Heavy rain and thunderstorms prompted a delay of nearly two hours at halftime of Monday’s World Cup match between France and Iraq.
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It was the first rain delay of the tournament and the first time in at least several decades that a World Cup match was delayed midgame because of inclement weather. After about 1 hour, 40 minutes, an announcement said the threat had passed, and the teams returned to the field to warm up as rain continued.
There was also heavy rain ahead of Monday night’s scheduled game between Norway and Senegal in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
With France leading 1-0 at halftime, scoreboard messages directed the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field to take shelter in the stadium’s covered areas, warning that a severe storm was on the way. Sheets of rain fell through halftime as thousands of fans huddled in the concourse and under balconies.
The stoppage was initially expected to extend the 15-minute halftime break by another 15 minutes. As the delay dragged on, stadium officials announced that “the game will resume when deemed safe.”
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A rule used by FIFA pauses games for 30 minutes if lightning is detected within 8 miles. Each strike resets the clock.
France and Iraq played through a downpour that started in the 37th minute. Fans donned ponchos and most stayed in their seats until they were told to find shelter at halftime.
FIFA long had a reputation for continuing matches even through extreme weather. A 2014 game between the U.S. and Germany continued in Brazil even after torrential downpour that flooded parts of the surrounding city.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup