France defeated Belgium 1-0 in Brussels on Monday in UEFA Nations League Group A1 play, extending their unbeaten start under new coach Zinedine Zidane to two consecutive victories.
Michael Olise, who entered the match in the 77th minute as a substitute, scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute. The Bayern Munich winger received a pass from Rayan Cherki and struck from the edge of the penalty area after a 50-meter run in which he evaded several Belgian defenders, beating goalkeeper Lammens with a precise finish.
France arrived in Brussels without Kylian Mbappé, who sustained an injury during the team's opening Nations League match against Turkey and will miss all three matches during this September-October international window. Zidane made nine changes to the starting lineup from the Turkey fixture, with only goalkeeper Mike Maignan and central defender Maxence Lacroix retained. Ousmane Dembélé, Rayan Cherki, and Jules Koundé were among those on the bench. Debutants included Esteban Lepaul of Rennes, Andy Diouf of Inter, and Lucas Da Cunha of Como.
Belgium, managed by Marco van Bommel, had opened their Nations League campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Italy. The home side pressed high and attacked down the flanks in the opening stages, creating pressure on French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. France gradually took control of possession and created the clearest chance around the 12-minute mark through a play involving Désiré Doué, but the match remained goalless until Olise's late strike.
Zidane's reaction to the goal drew widespread attention. The French coach sprinted from the technical area and kicked a ball in celebration, an unusually exuberant display for the typically composed manager.
France now leads Group A1 with six points from two victories. Belgium and Italy, who defeated Turkey 4-1 in Bursa on Monday, each have three points. France's next match will be at the Stade de France against Italy.