France Rally Past Belgium 4-1 as Zidane’s Substitutes Shine
France recovered from a first-half deficit to beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France, with substitutes Désiré Doué, Ryan Cherki and Michael Olise scoring…
France vs Belgium turned on Zinedine Zidane’s substitutions at the Stade de France, where France came from behind to win 4-1 in the UEFA Nations League. The result kept Zidane’s team top of Group A, with 10 points after four games.
Belgium led for much of the match after Dodi Lukébakio scored in the first half. France struck four times in the final 13 minutes, with substitutes Désiré Doué, Ryan Cherki and Michael Olise scoring to secure the home side’s first victory under Zidane.
France had to wait. Then the changes worked.
Lukébakio put Belgium ahead in the 35th minute, running onto Romeo Lavia’s long pass after beating the offside trap and finishing past goalkeeper Guillaume Restes. France had earlier threatened through Esteban Lepaul, who lifted his shot over from close range after Ousmane Dembélé squared the ball across the area.
The hosts pressed after the break. Manu Koné had an effort blocked, while Dembélé curled a shot just wide. Belgium goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt also made a fingertip save to deny Cherki, who had come on alongside Olise around the hour mark.
France vs Belgium: substitutes change the game
Doué scored the equaliser in the 77th minute, turning near the edge of the area before sending a low shot into the far corner. Three minutes later, Olise reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Cherki to finish.
Olise added France’s third with two minutes left, holding off Nicolas Raskin before shooting across Vandevoordt. In stoppage time, Doué set up Olise again for the fourth goal.
The late scoring gave France more than a comeback win: it extended their lead at the top of the group and showed how decisively Zidane’s attacking options could alter a match. Belgium had managed to keep its advantage until the 77th minute, but could not hold out once France’s substitutes found space and sharp combinations in the final third.
ESPN’s match report said France had been “living dangerously” before the break, as Belgium created chances through Romelu Lukaku and a Nicolas Raskin header. The report also noted that France appealed for a penalty after the ball struck Nathan Ngoy’s arm, but the claims were turned down.
The result followed a 1-0 France win in Brussels, while Belgium had responded to that defeat with a 3-0 victory over Turkey. Before the match, Zidane had said he planned “smart changes” and wanted his side to remain competitive. His substitutions proved decisive in Paris.
France finished the match with 10 points after four games, at the top of Group A.
Source: espn.com
