Michael Olise scored an 88th-minute winner from inside his own half to give France a 1-0 victory over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday, securing Zinedine Zidane his second win as national team coach.
Olise Breaks Late Deadlock in Brussels
France dominated the proceedings at the King Baudouin Stadium but struggled to finish their opportunities as the contest moved toward a scoreless draw. Désiré Doué struck the crossbar in the 12th minute, while Lucas Da Cunha hit the post early in the second half with a fierce effort from 25 yards out. Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a number of important saves to keep the visitors at bay during his side’s home bow under new coach Mark van Bommel. Belgium made only two changes to the team that started the previous Friday’s 2-0 win in Italy.
The breakthrough arrived just two minutes before regulation time. Entering the fray in the 77th minute to replace Liverpool’s Bradley Barcola, Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise gained control of the ball in his own territory and carried it forward until reaching the perimeter of the Belgian penalty area. The London-born player sprinted down the right, cut inward, and curled a shot beyond the reach of Lammens into the bottom-left corner of the net to seal a 1-0 victory for France.
Zidane Shuffles Lineup Amid Injury Absence
Zinedine Zidane managed his second fixture since succeeding Didier Deschamps without captain Kylian Mbappé. The Real Madrid striker returned to his club for treatment after injuring his left knee during Friday’s opening 1-0 win against Turkey, a match in which he scored a record-extending 67th international goal for his country.
In Mbappé’s absence, Zidane made nine changes to his starting lineup. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix were the only players to retain their places from the previous match. The reshuffled team featured a debut in midfield for Lucas Da Cunha of Como in Italy, as well as a debut in attack for Esteban Lepaul of Rennes, who was the top scorer in France’s Ligue 1 last season. Other debuts included Jérémy Jacquet and Andy Diouf.
Italy’s Resurgence Under Mancini
Italy moved level on points with Belgium following a dominant 4-1 victory against Turkey in Bursa on Monday. Under head coach Roberto Mancini, the Azzurri secured a win in Mancini’s second match in charge, a significant shift from Friday’s 2-0 home loss to Belgium. Italy had not netted three times within the first 30 minutes of a competitive fixture for half a decade.
Alessandro Bastoni opened the scoring in the ninth minute after a Zeki Çelik clearance error. Davide Frattesi doubled the lead in the 22nd minute following a move involving debutant Michael Kayode, whose initial shot was parried by Turkey goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. While Barış Alper Yılmaz pulled one back for Turkey after the break, Esposito restored the three-goal advantage by nodding in a rebound from a Sandro Tonali shot. The match featured a historic milestone for Italy, as siblings Pio and Sebastiano Esposito became the first brothers to start a match for the national team since 1915.
Group A1 Standings and Upcoming Fixtures
With two victories from two matches, France sits at the summit of UEFA Nations League Group A1 with six points. They hold a three-point advantage over both Belgium and Italy. France will host Italy at the Stade de France on Friday for Zidane’s homecoming, followed by a home fixture against Belgium the following Monday.
