France produced a stunning late turnaround against Belgium, scoring four times in a remarkable 14-minute spell to transform a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 victory in the UEFA Nations League. The result strengthened France’s grip on the top of Group A1 and gave head coach Zinedine Zidane his first home win in charge.
Playing in Paris, France controlled much of the match from the opening whistle but initially struggled to convert possession into goals. Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola both had chances as the hosts pressed forward, yet Belgium’s defence held firm and France were unable to find a breakthrough.
Belgium then punished the hosts with a well-worked attacking move in the 35th minute. Roméo Lavia threaded a fine pass into the penalty area, allowing Dodi Lukebakio to move into a dangerous position before firing a powerful left-footed shot into the net. France went into half-time 1-0 down despite having enjoyed considerable control of the game.
The situation remained frustrating for the hosts after the restart. More than half an hour of the second half had passed without an equaliser, prompting Zidane to make decisive changes.
Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Lucas Da Cunha were introduced in the 60th minute, while Désiré Doué came on 12 minutes later. The substitutions gave France greater attacking intensity and eventually changed the entire complexion of the contest.
Doué delivered the first major response in the 77th minute. Receiving a pass from Da Cunha outside the penalty area, he struck a low left-footed effort that beat the Belgian goalkeeper and brought France level.
The hosts did not have to wait long for the second. Just four minutes later, Olise supplied a cut-back that found Cherki, who finished clinically to put France 2-1 ahead.
Belgium were now under sustained pressure, while France appeared increasingly confident. In the 88th minute, Olise combined effectively with Doué before scoring his first goal of the night and France’s third.
The late onslaught was completed in stoppage time. In the opening minute of added time, Doué brought the ball down with his chest before setting up Olise, who finished again to complete his brace. Four goals in just 14 minutes had turned a potentially disappointing home performance into a comprehensive 4-1 victory.
Zidane was visibly pleased with the response. He praised the players for correcting their first-half mistakes and credited the substitutes with making a decisive impact after coming on. The French coach also highlighted the work put in by the squad during the preceding two weeks.
Olise, one of the key figures in the comeback, described the victory as a collective effort. He praised Zidane’s tactical ideas and said the players had been following the coach’s approach effectively in recent matches.
The victory leaves France on 10 points from four matches in Group A1 and further strengthens their position at the summit. Belgium have six points from four games, while Italy have seven. Türkiye, meanwhile, remain without a point after four matches.
For France, the significance of the result lies not only in the three points but also in the manner of the comeback. After spending much of the match chasing an equaliser, the hosts suddenly found another level in the final stages, with Zidane’s substitutions proving crucial to one of the night’s most dramatic passages.
