France came from a goal down to beat Belgium 4-1 in their Nations League Group A1 meeting at the Stade de France on Monday. Zinedine Zidane secured his first home win in charge, three days after a 1-1 draw against Italy, thanks to his substitutes. The win marked a significant turnaround for France, who had been struggling to create chances against a packed defensive block in the first half.
Belgium took the lead in the 35th minute when Dodi Lukebakio broke clear of a defence that was stepping up for offside to latch onto a long pass from Romeo Lavia, before scoring in a one-on-one with Guillaume Restes, who was earning his first cap. The 2018 World Cup winners, playing without captain Kylian Mbappé, controlled possession but failed to create chances against a packed defensive block, making it an eighth consecutive match without scoring in the first half.
The match turned in France's favour in the final 15 minutes, with substitutes Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki, and Michael Olise making a significant impact. Doué levelled with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box in the 77th minute. Four minutes later, Cherki put his side in front, finishing from an Olise cross. Olise then completed a brace from close range just before and during stoppage time, securing a resounding victory for France.
Zidane attributed the team's success to their ability to adapt and turn the match around. "That's football, that's what we love. There were difficulties, but that's part of the game, part of the kinds of matches you can have," he told TF1. "It's good to put things right, and that's what we did with an extraordinary second half."
Olise, who came off the bench on the hour mark, also praised the team's effort and Zidane's tactics. "We played well at the end; in the first half it was difficult against their low block. After that we kept going and it was good in the end," he told TF1. "It's a team effort, Zidane brings ideas and we follow them. We're going to keep going like this."
In another Nations League match, Italy secured a 3-1 win over Turkey, their third consecutive match without a loss. Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori, and Pio Esposito scored for Italy, while Aral Simsir had earlier equalised for Turkey. Italy's coach, Roberto Mancini, acknowledged that his team had struggled due to fatigue but praised their ability to score crucial goals.
The results leave France top of the group with 10 points, three ahead of Italy and four clear of Belgium. Turkey are bottom with four defeats from four matches. Key points include France's impressive comeback, Zidane's successful tactical substitutions, and Italy's continued unbeaten run.
Key points
- France secured a 4-1 win over Belgium in their Nations League Group A1 meeting.
- Zinedine Zidane secured his first home win in charge thanks to his substitutes.
- Italy secured a 3-1 win over Turkey, their third consecutive match without a loss.
