Shafaq News- Boston

Iraq's national football team stepped up preparations for its World Cup clash against France with a recovery training session in Boston on Thursday.

Iraq will face France on June 23 at midnight Baghdad time (GMT+3) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, United States.

The Lions of Mesopotamia enter the match seeking a positive result to revive their hopes of securing a place in the next round. Iraq opened its World Cup campaign with a 4-1 defeat to Norway, making the clash against France particularly important for the team's qualification prospects. France, meanwhile, heads into the encounter with confidence after defeating Senegal 3-1 in its opening game.