Olise Orchestrates Late Rally as France Overturn Belgium in Nations League Showdown

Key Takeaways:

• France scored three late goals to secure a 4-1 comeback victory over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League
• Zinedine Zidane recorded his third triumph in four matches as manager of Les Bleus
• Michael Olise scored twice and provided an assist after coming on as second half sub

Match Analysis

France staged a remarkable turnaround in the UEFA Nations League group A1 clash last night, overturning a first-half deficit to defeat Belgium 4-1 at home. The result marks Zinedine Zidane’s third win in four matches at the helm of Les Bleus, maintaining his unbeaten start with a single draw.

VICTOOOOOIRE ! 🤩💙

Nos Bleus renversent totalement la Belgique avec 4️⃣ buts inscrits dans le dernier quart d’heure ! 🔥💪

🇫🇷4-1🇧🇪 l #FRABEL https://t.co/1Vj1zwyoTs

— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) October 5, 2026

Both Zidane and his Belgian counterpart, Mark van Bommel, opted for debutant goalkeepers in their starting line-ups. Guillaume Restes, tasked with guarding the French net, made an early save from Romelu Lukaku’s long-range effort. Across the pitch, Maarten Vandevoordt was quick off his line to thwart Bradley Barcola in a positive opening spell for both stoppers.

France held sway in terms of possession, but their attacking efforts were repeatedly repelled by a determined Belgian defence. Nicolas Raskin exemplified this resilience with a crucial block against Eduardo Camavinga and, moments later, headed over from a Dodi Lukebakio cross at the opposite end.

First-Half Developments and Belgian Opener

Esteban Lepaul posed threats for the hosts with an on-target strike at Vandevoordt and a subsequent off-target attempt, but it was the Red Devils who found the breakthrough. In the 35th minute, Romeo Lavia’s incisive through ball left the French defence exposed, allowing Dodi Lukebakio to calmly convert and give Belgium a 1-0 advantage.

Hans Vanaken then halted Ousmane Dembele’s shot, preserving Belgium’s lead at half-time.

French Revival Sparked by Substitutes

The second half saw a continuation of French pressure, with Lavia again intervening defensively and Dembele firing wide under pressure. Lavia received a yellow card that will see him suspended for the next fixture. In response, Zidane introduced a trio of substitutes at the hour mark, a decision that revitalised the hosts’ attack and proved pivotal in the final outcome.

Michael Olise led the charge, first testing Vandevoordt with two efforts, the second denied by a last-ditch block. Rayan Cherki curled a shot wide, while Barcola’s strike narrowly missed the target after a deflection from Nathan Ngoy. France’s persistence paid off in the 77th minute as Lucas Da Cunha set up Desire Doue, who fired a precise shot into the bottom corner to restore parity.

The momentum swiftly shifted in France’s favour. Three minutes later, Olise pulled the ball back for Cherki, whose finish evaded Vandevoordt despite the keeper’s attempts to intervene. Olise then added two goals in quick succession—first prodding home before finishing superbly after fine setup play from Doue—to complete an emphatic late surge.

Group Standings and Key Statistics

This result significantly alters the outlook in Group A1. France remain unbeaten, forging a three-point lead over Italy at the top, while Belgium sit third.