Belgium 0-1 France: Magical Olise claims late victory for Zidane’s France in Brussels | OneFootball

An entertaining encounter saw Zidane continue his perfect start to life at the helm of Les Blues following a late winner from Olise, finally breaking down the Red Devils’ defence and claiming the three points for the visitors.

Despite making nine changes to the starting eleven heading into tonight’s game, Zidane’s French side had the crucial edge over Belgium away from home, but just couldn’t find the back of the net in Brussels until the 87th minute, when Olise slotted home past Senne Lammens to secure victory and send France to the top of the group.

Mark van Bommel’s Belgium side did excellently to hold France at bay for the majority of the game thanks to a strong defensive display, but failed to survive in the final minutes. The hosts had golden chances of their own, but struggled to convert them.

As it happened

After a delayed start to proceedings in Brussels, it was the visitors who had the first opportunity of the game as Pierre Kalulu was played in behind the Belgian defence down the right flank. The full-back cut the ball back to Esteban Lepaul, who couldn’t convert from close range as his effort flew over the bar.

France came ever so close to opening the scoring after 11 minutes as PSG’s Désiré Doué showed incredible ball control to skip past multiple defenders inside the 18-yard box before firing a fierce strike towards goal. It beat the Belgian goalkeeper, only to be stopped by the crossbar. A real let-off for the hosts early on.

Lepaul once again had a great chance to break the deadlock as Doué, once again causing havoc down the right wing, played a pinpoint cross into the path of France’s number 19. However, Lammens easily smothered his first-time attempt.

It was a real end-to-end opening to the contest. In the 18th minute, Belgium could have, and probably should have, taken the lead as Napoli midfielder Kevin De Bruyne threaded an inviting ball across the penalty area, only for it to be intercepted by a French shirt. The visitors then went up the other end, finding Bradley Barcola on the left wing. The winger cut inside and fired a curling effort towards goal, but Lammens was there to save once again.

Tremendous resilience and defending from the Red Devils prevented an almost certain goal from the visitors as Maghnes Akliouche’s free-kick was parried away by the home goalkeeper. Lammens then saved the rebound, but the third attempt on goal by an onrushing Kalulu beat him, only to be blocked and cleared off the line by a well-positioned Romeo Lavia.

With less than ten minutes to go in the half, Timothy Castagne found himself through down the flank and fizzed a low cross into the feet of Charles De Ketelaere, who set it back to De Bruyne on the edge of the box. However, the midfielder couldn’t quite find the target.

As the contest reached half-time, both sides were looking promising in attack, but the visitors appeared to have the slight upper hand, with the game remaining in the balance.

The players returned from the break, and it was the Red Devils who crafted the first opportunity, with a neat passage of play progressing the hosts up the pitch before Mike Maignan did well to smother a low, driven cross and eliminate the danger.

Not long after, France came close to opening the scoring as Doué did superbly well to beat his marker and cut inside, not for the first time that day, before unleashing a whipped effort that sailed just wide of the post.

The visitors continued knocking on the door as debutant De Cunha struck the post from distance after receiving the ball around 30 yards out. His thunderous attempt cannoned off the woodwork.

It was Doué testing the home goalkeeper again as he struck an effort towards goal, which was excellently saved by Lammens and fell into the path of Lepaul. The striker couldn’t control the rebound or direct the ball towards goal.

Just after the clock ticked past the hour mark, Doué elegantly displayed incredible skill to get past numerous Belgian defenders before getting off a shot, which was yet again gathered by Lammens.

The hosts nearly broke the deadlock against the run of play with 20 minutes to go. Diouf was dispossessed by De Ketelaere, who slipped in substitute Dodi Lukebakio. The Belgian found himself one-on-one with the French keeper, but Maignan did well to close down the space and make himself big to deny the Benfica attacker.

With limited time remaining in the contest, both sides were looking for that winning goal. In the 87th minute, the visitors took the lead through substitute Olise, who broke free on the counterattack inside his own half before accelerating past his marker towards the penalty area and calmly slotting the ball past Lammens into the bottom-left corner.

Desperate late appeals for a home penalty were waved away by the referee, and despite the best efforts of the hosts, France walked away from Belgium with a 1-0 victory.