France beat Belgium 1-0 in Brussels, with Michael Olise scoring the only goal two minutes from time. After about 12 minutes on the pitch, Olise launched the decisive attack from his own half and finished calmly.
Zinédine Zidane made big changes to his starting lineup, but France looked sharp. They kept the ball and pressed high, forcing Belgium to defend deep. France piled up shots and corners as Belgium barely got out of their own half. Still, the score remained level: Belgium’s defense stayed tight, and France’s breakthrough did not come. ESPN and BBC both reported that France created more danger, but Belgium’s back line held out until the end.
Desiré Doué stepped up with Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé both missing from the starting eleven. Olise was also left out. Doué drove the attack, rattled the crossbar with a solo run and kept testing Belgian keeper Lammens. He appeared on both wings and in the box, and even tracked back to win the ball. But the goal wouldn’t come. ESPN and other outlets called Doué one of France’s basic creative forces. Lucas Da Cunha also hit the post.
After halftime, France pressed even harder, with Doué continuing to threaten and Da Cunha striking the post. Then Belgium woke up. Dodi Lukebakio came on and gave them a spark, and suddenly France looked vulnerable. Mike Maignan made two big saves to stop Lukebakio, while Lacroix blocked a shot from De Ketelaere. The match was wide open, and both teams sensed a late winner. Al Jazeera and ESPN highlighted Maignan’s saves as basic to France’s clean sheet.
Olise found the gap on a counterattack and finished calmly. Belgium had no time to answer, and France’s pressure finally paid off. BBC and Tempo both noted that Ryan Cherki set up Olise’s goal. Zidane’s substitutions made the difference.
France moved to the top of Group A1 in the Nations League after two rounds, with two wins from two matches. Next up is Italy. The win over Belgium showed tactical discipline alongside flashes of skill, as Zidane trusted his bench and saw it pay off. The late goal in Brussels could shape France’s campaign. The Guardian and UEFA both pointed to France’s depth under Zidane and its flexibility.
