France faced off against neighbors Belgium at the Stade Roi Baudouin in Brussels on Monday night, October 14, in Gameweek 4 of UEFA Nations League A without their talisman and captain, Kylian Mbappe. Despite the pressure from the hosts, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winners secured a 2-1 victory thanks to a heroic performance from Randal Kolo Muani. This win brought France within a point of table toppers Italy, now with 10 points. Belgium remained in third place with only four points from four games.
Belgium Fail to Capitalize on Opportunities in the First Half
Belgium started strong in front of their fans, with Youri Tielemans testing French goalkeeper Mike Maignan early on. However, his shot was right at the goalkeeper, squandering a good chance. In the 13th minute, Tielemans provided a beautiful cross into the box, but Lois Openda failed to keep his shot on target.
Later, Openda drew a foul from Arsenal defender William Saliba in the French box, resulting in a penalty for Belgium following a VAR review. Surprisingly, Tielemans missed the penalty, firing his shot over the bar. France was awarded a penalty in the 34th minute after Wout Faes handled the ball in the area. Kolo Muani stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past the Belgian goalkeeper, Casteels.
Just before halftime, Openda scored for Belgium with a header from Castagne’s cross, equalizing the score.
Kolo Muani Secures Late Victory for 10-Man France
In the 59th minute, a goal from Manu Kone was disallowed after a VAR check revealed a foul in the build-up. However, three minutes later, Kolo Muani scored a powerful header from Digne’s cross to give France the lead.
France went down to 10 men in the 76th minute after Tchouameni received his second yellow card for a foul on Tielemans. Despite intense Belgian pressure towards the end of the game, France held on to secure the win.
Belgium had a higher xG at 2.06 compared to France’s 1.42. They also had more shots on target, created more big chances, and took more shots from inside the box. However, they were unable to find the finishing touch and secure the win.
