Belgium suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat to France in the Nations League on Monday, beaten by a late Michael Olise wonder goal at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. The loss leaves the Red Devils with three points in Group A1, trailing the French who now have six.
Mark van Bommel made only two changes from the win in Italy, but his side lacked a cutting edge. The Belgians managed just one shot on target, compared to seven for the French. France created the better chances, with a Desire Doue free-kick rattling the crossbar in the first half. Early in the second period, debutant Lucas Da Cunha struck the post. The Belgian offensive inefficiency contrasts with recent form, having scored three times in its last two matches, detailed statistics available in our stats section.
The introduction of Olise in the 77th minute proved decisive. The Crystal Palace man collected the ball in his own half, drove forward and beat Senne Lammens with a precise strike from the edge of the box (88′). France boss Zinedine Zidane celebrated wildly, sprinting down the touchline.
The key man: Olise
Michael Olise delivered victory for his manager with a moment of individual brilliance. His substitution changed the dynamic of a tight match, proving his instant impact from the bench.
This defeat comes as the Nations League schedule remains busy, with a return fixture in France set for next Monday. The squad must respond quickly to keep their group stage ambitions on track. Potential absences, notably the still-injured Romelu Lukaku, could weigh on van Bommel's tactical choices, a situation to monitor on our injuries page.
Read the full report at Hindustan Times Sports
