Zinedine Zidane's debut as France coach got off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory over Turkey in their UEFA Nations League Group A1 match on Friday. Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game in the 54th minute, but his celebration was short-lived as he suffered an injury while shooting. The Real Madrid star was replaced a few minutes later and is expected to miss France's upcoming Nations League matches.
Mbappe's injury was confirmed by Zidane after the match, who stated that the forward had overextended his knee while shooting and would likely have to return home. France held on for the win despite being a man down for most of the game after goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sent off late on for handling the ball outside his box. The victory marked a positive start for Zidane, who was appointed as the successor to Didier Deschamps in late July.
In another Nations League match, Roberto Mancini's return as Italy coach got off to a losing start as they were beaten 2-0 by Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Mika Godts gave Belgium the lead in the 20th minute, and substitute Dodi Lukebakio doubled their advantage after the break. Mancini, who previously coached Italy between 2018 and 2023, said that the team's failure to qualify for the World Cup was still a topic of discussion, but vowed to think positively and move forward.
The loss was a disappointing start for Mancini, who led Italy to victory at Euro 2020 during his previous tenure. He attributed the boos from the home fans to being "normal" and "part of the game". Belgium's victory marked a strong start for the team, who were playing their first match since losing to Spain in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Elsewhere in the Nations League, Northern Ireland secured a 1-0 win over Georgia in Group B2 thanks to a late goal from Shea Charles. The match was marked by a penalty save for Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and a red card for Northern Ireland's goalkeeper. Ukraine also secured a 1-0 victory over Hungary in the same group, with Danylo Sikan scoring the only goal of the game.
In other matches, Poland drew 0-0 with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B4, while Sweden beat Romania 2-1 in Stockholm. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres scored for Sweden, who secured a hard-fought win. Armenia and Montenegro also secured wins in League C.
The Nations League action continues on Saturday with England hosting Spain, who are playing their first game since winning the World Cup in July. Zidane's France will face Belgium in their next match on Monday, but will likely be without captain Mbappe due to his injury.
Key points
- Kylian Mbappe injured in France's 1-0 win over Turkey.
- Roberto Mancini's Italy loses 2-0 to Belgium in his return as coach.
- Zinedine Zidane starts his France tenure with a win in the Nations League.
