France came from a goal down to beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France in Paris on Monday, scoring four times in the final 15 minutes of their Nations League Group A1 match. Substitutes Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and Michael Olise, all on the bench at kick-off, turned the game around and gave coach Zinédine Zidane his first home win since taking charge.
Belgium had been the more dangerous side on the break for much of the match. Dodi Lukebakio put the visitors ahead in the 35th minute, finishing neatly after a through ball from Roméo Lavia. France dominated possession and created chances, notably through Bradley Barcola, but Belgian goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt, making his debut for his country, kept them out. Belgium were without the suspended Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans and started with six changes from their 3-0 win over Turkey, so coach Van Bommel had to improvise.
Zidane rested several stars, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Doué and Olise starting on the bench, and Kylian Mbappé is still out injured. He brought on Olise and Cherki around the hour mark, and the pressure on Belgium's goal increased at once. Doué levelled in the 77th minute with a low, placed shot from about 20 metres. Cherki put France ahead four minutes later, finishing after work by Olise. Olise then scored twice himself, in the 88th minute and in stoppage time, the second after a pass from Doué.
The result keeps France top of Group A1 with 10 points, three ahead of Italy and four ahead of Belgium. In the group's other match, Italy beat Turkey 3-1 in Bologna through Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori and Francesco Pio Esposito, after Aral Simsir had equalised for the Turks. Turkey are bottom, having lost all four of their games.
The match echoed the teams' first meeting in Brussels on 28 September, when Belgium also held out for a long time before conceding late. French commentators say the first four games of Zidane's tenure point to a clear plan: a possession-based 4-3-3 with a high press, Mbappé used on the left, and Olise as a key attacking figure alongside several new faces. Defender Leny Yoro started in his first cap, and young players such as Jérémy Jacquet and Lucas Da Cunha made a good impression. Finishing remains a weakness, as France only found their rhythm in front of goal late on. They now travel to Milan to face Italy on 12 November before hosting Turkey on 15 November.