Michael Olise scored a stunning late winner as France beat Belgium 1-0. Zinedine Zidane remains unbeaten in two games as coach.
Michael Olise scored a spectacular 88th-minute winner to give France a 1-0 victory over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday, extending new coach Zinedine Zidane’s unbeaten start to two wins from two matches. Olise, who came on as a substitute in the 77th minute for Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola, collected the ball deep in his own half, drove past Belgium’s defense and curled a low shot beyond goalkeeper Senne Lammens into the bottom corner at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium.
The result followed a 1-0 win away to Turkey last Friday, Zidane’s first match in charge after succeeding Didier Deschamps following the World Cup, where France reached the semifinals. Zidane made nine changes to his starting lineup for the Belgium match, handing debuts to defender Jeremy Jacquet, midfielder Andy Diouf and Como’s Lucas Da Cunha, while Rennes forward Esteban Lepaul, Ligue 1’s top scorer last season, also earned a first start. Only goalkeeper Mike Maignan and defender Maxence Lacroix retained their places from the win over Turkey. France was without captain Kylian Mbappe, who returned to his club, Real Madrid, for treatment after injuring his left knee while scoring the winning goal against Turkey.
France dominated possession for much of the match but struggled to break down Belgium’s defense under new coach Mark van Bommel, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue striking the crossbar in the first half and Da Cunha hitting the post shortly after the interval. Belgium, making only two lineup changes from their previous match, relied on the pace of Mika Godts and Dodi Lukebakio on the counterattack, forcing several saves from Maignan, before Olise’s late intervention decided the contest. Zidane reacted animatedly on the touchline, sprinting down the sideline and kicking a loose ball in celebration. “I went along with the play and I wanted to be part of it,” he told broadcaster TF1 after the match.
The win puts France atop Nations League Group A1 with six points, three points ahead of both Belgium and Italy, who beat Turkey 4-1 on Monday. Olise’s goal was his fourth for France in his 14th appearance for the national team, and his 13th goal involvement over that span. France will host Italy on Friday at the Stade de France, a match that will mark Zidane’s first game in charge on home soil.
Sources: This report is based on information from ESPN, Al Jazeera, Reuters and beIN Sports.