France secured a 1-0 victory over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday, thanks to Michael Olise's remarkable late strike. The match at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels was goalless until the 88th minute, when Olise, who came on as a substitute in the 77th minute, scored the winner. The goal came after Olise collected possession inside his own half and advanced to the edge of the Belgian box, where he curled a shot beyond the reach of Senne Lammens into the bottom-left corner.
This win marked Zinedine Zidane's second consecutive victory as France coach, following a 1-0 success away to Turkey last Friday. Zidane, who succeeded Didier Deschamps as coach after the World Cup, was without captain Kylian Mbappé, who returned to his club for treatment after injuring his left knee. The French team made nine changes to the lineup, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix the only players to keep their places.
The match was a closely contested affair, with France having the better of the chances. Paris Saint-Germain's Desire Doue cracked a shot off the bar in the first half, and Lucas Da Cunha struck the post early in the second half. However, the contest was heading for a goalless conclusion until Olise's intervention. The London-born player sprinted down the left wing, beating several Belgian defenders, before scoring the winner.
Zidane was pleased with his team's performance, saying they were "really good in every department" and "deserved to win." He also praised Olise, describing him as a "pure talent" who "loves to just play." The win moved France to the top of Nations League Group A1 with six points, three points ahead of Belgium and Italy.
Belgium, under new coach Mark van Bommel, made only two changes to the team that started last Friday's 2-0 win in Italy. The home team had chances to score, but France goalkeeper Mike Maignan made crucial saves to keep his team in the lead. The win was a significant result for Zidane, who is looking to rebuild the French team after the World Cup.
France will next play host to Italy at the Stade de France on Friday, in what will be Zidane's homecoming as coach. The team will then entertain Belgium next Monday. Zidane acknowledged that his team had done a lot of traveling and not much training or resting, but was pleased with their performance against a strong Belgian side.
The match also saw debuts for several French players, including Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet, Como's Lucas Da Cunha, and Rennes' Esteban Lepaul. The win was a positive result for Zidane, who is looking to build a strong team ahead of future competitions.
Key points
- Michael Olise scored a stunning late goal to give France a 1-0 win over Belgium.
- Zinedine Zidane secured his second consecutive victory as France coach.
- France top Nations League Group A1 with six points.
