France loves Belgium. For their third confrontation of the year, she got the better of her neighbor on Monday. With, as executioner, the inevitable Kolo Muani, top scorer for the Blues in 2024 and particularly effective against the Red Devils. The PSG striker, author of a double, once again asserted himself as the number 1 option as center forward for the France team during this gathering.
However, we had to wait for a penalty from Tielemans (23′), sent into the sky over Brussels, to see the French team react. Unable to hold Doku on his right side, the Blues were exposed to the flashes of the former Rennais, like in this cross where Openda was missing a little meter (11′). As if that wasn’t enough, the French defense offered gifts to the Belgians. Konaté lost a ball in midfield which Trossard took advantage of to go for goal, putting Maignan to work (18′). Before Openda, launched in depth with a pass piercing the central defense, obtained a penalty, snuffed out by Saliba. A sentence that Tielemans therefore did not transform…
A story of penalties
This huge failure by the Belgian captain had the merit of waking up the French team. Barcola, after eliminating Debast, attempted his special but Casteels pushed back (25′). The goalkeeper could do nothing, however, about the penalty stupidly conceded by Faes, by throwing his elbow forward at the ball. Kolo Muani, definitely the bane of Belgium this year (decisive at the Euro, scorer in the first leg in September), gave his team the advantage by wrong-footing the goalkeeper (0-1, 35′).
On its last opportunity of the first period, Belgium was rewarded, by equalizing through Openda, with a header, receiving a cross from the left by Castagne (1-1, 45’+ 3 ). After going to the locker room, France took a little more care of the ball, giving their opponent less ammunition. She was even dangerous on the counter, with a solitary raid from Dembélé (52′). But it was on a placed attack that Kolo Muani, again, gave the Blues the advantage. Well served by Digne, his uncrossed header deceived Casteels, not flawless at the time (1-2, 62′).
Tchouaméni excluded
In a match that shifted into a false rhythm, the Belgians insisted again and again through Doku, but Trossard missed his shot too much (71′). The exclusion of Tchouaméni, author of a foul on Tielemans racing towards goal, gave a bit of hope to Belgium. But his players rushed the ball a little too much, like this missed cross from Trossard, all alone in the area following a corner (90’+1).
Despite a painful end to the match, the Blues had their third success in a row. Enough to give yourself some air in the rankings to distance yourself from your opponent in the evening. Almost ensuring a place in the quarter-finals of the Nations League. To be ensured during the next truce.
The technical sheet
Referee: Irfan Peljto (BiH).
BUTS. Belgium: Openda (45’+ 3); France: Kolo Muani (35’sp, 62′).
Warnings. Belgium: Mangala (29′); Faes (53′), De Ketelaere (56′); France: Digne (7′), Saliba (22′), Tchouaméni (24′, 76′) Konaté (45′), Maignan (78′).
Exclusion. France: Tchouaméni (76′).
BELGIUM: Casteels – Castagne (De Cuyper, 67′), Faes, Debast, Theate – Mangala (Vranckx, 67′), Tielemans (cap., Engels, 82′), De Ketelaere (Lukébakio, 82′) – Trossard, Openda, Doku . Cell. : Domenico Tedesco (ALL).
FRANCE : Maignan – Koundé, Conate, Saliba, Digne – Tchouameni (cap.), Kone – Dembele (Fofana, 79′), Guendouzi (Camavinga, 74′), Barcola (Nkunku, 74′) – Kolo Muani (Thuram, 90’+). 3). Cell : Didier Deschamps.
