From trailing to triumphant! Late flurry from Desire Doue and Michael Olise caps dramatic France comeback against Belgium
Late show at the Stade de France
Zidane's tenure as France manager reached a new high on Monday night as his side produced a breathtaking late rally to dismantle Belgium 4-1. The Bleus entered the contest at the Stade de France sitting at the summit of Nations League Group 1 with seven points, following a narrow 1-0 win in Brussels just a week prior. Looking to cement their lead, Zidane opted for a youthful 4-3-3 formation, handing starts to Guillaume Restes in goal and an experimental defensive pairing of Maxence Lacroix and Leny Yoro.
Ousmane Dembele set the tone early, cutting inside to unleash a shot that whistled past the post within sixty seconds. The pressure continued to mount as Bradley Barcola and Esteban Lepaul tested the Belgian resolve, with Maarten Vandevoordt forced into a fine save to deny Barcola in the 16th minute. Despite the sustained French pressure, the Red Devils remained dangerous on the break. In the 35th minute, the visitors delivered a sucker punch when Chelsea's Romeo Lavia sliced open the French defense with a pinpoint pass, releasing Dodi Lukebakio one-on-one with Guillaume Restes to finish emphatically with a left-footed strike into the top corner.
The second half began much like the first, with France camped in the Belgian half but struggling to break down Mark van Bommel's disciplined low block. Dembele missed another significant opening in the 53rd minute, and Vandevoordt once again proved a formidable barrier by stopping a pivot-shot from Lepaul shortly before the hour mark. Recognizing that his starting lineup was hitting a wall, Zidane turned to his bench for inspiration. In a decisive triple substitution, he introduced Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, and Lucas Da Cunha.
The introduction of Cherki proved particularly transformative, as the playmaker began to pull the strings in midfield. Cherki almost leveled the score himself with a curling right-footed effort that required another acrobatic save from Vandevoordt. The relentless pressure eventually broke the Belgian dam in the 77th minute. Desire Doue, another substitute, received a pass from Da Cunha, turned brilliantly on the edge of the box, and buried a low left-footed drive into the corner. It was a milestone moment for the young talent, marking his fourth international goal in just his 19th appearance for the senior national team.
Four goals in fourteen minutes
With the home crowd now in a state of euphoria, France scented blood and refused to let up. Just four minutes after the equalizer, the turnaround was complete. Olise drove down the right flank with purpose before cutting the ball back to Cherki at the near post. The substitute's first-time strike took a deflection off Vandevoordt's foot and arm before trickling across the line to make it 2-1. Belgium, who had held the lead for nearly an hour, appeared shell-shocked by the sudden shift in momentum.
In the 88th minute, the third goal arrived via a piece of technical brilliance. Doue and Olise linked up with a sequence of intricate one-touch passing in a tight space on the edge of the area, allowing Olise to break free and slot home with composure. The Bayern Munich star wasn't finished there, either. As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Doue turned provider once again, finding Olise with an exquisite pass that the attacker converted with ease to make it 4-1. The flurry of goals meant France had transformed a looming defeat into a comprehensive rout in less than a quarter of an hour, effectively ending Belgium's hopes of ending their long-running losing streak against their neighbors.
Group 1 standings and November schedule
The victory cements France's position at the summit of Nations League Group 1 with 10 points. Meanwhile, Belgium remain stalled in third place on six points, trailing second-placed Italy, who occupy the runner-up spot with seven points.
The group will reach its climax during the upcoming international break in November. France face a demanding road trip to Italy before returning home to host Turkiye. As for Belgium, their campaign concludes with a trip to face Turkiye first, before welcoming Italy in their final group fixture.
