Striker Randal Kolo Muani scored a brace as France took a giant step towards the Nations League quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over hosts Belgium in a League A Group 2 clash in Brussels on Monday.
Kolo Muani netted his opener from the penalty spot after a Wout Faes handball, but Lois Openda equalised in first half stoppage time after Belgium captain Youri Tielemans had earlier missed a spot-kick.
Kolo Muani headed in a second just past the hour-mark and France were able to hold on for the victory despite losing midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni to a second yellow card with 14 minutes remaining.
Italy head the group with 10 points from their four games, followed by France on nine. Belgium have four points and Israel zero. The top two teams qualify for the quarter-finals that will be played in March next year.
“It was a great evening, not an easy match because we knew the Belgians would cause us problems,” France goalkeeper Mike Maignan told TF1.
“My six saves? It’s good for me, it’s positive and it reflects my form at the moment. It’s good for me and for the team, the most important thing is to have won.”
Belgium had hoped to end a 43-year wait for a competitive victory over France and created enough chances to have earned more from the game, but were wasteful in front a goal, an all too familiar theme for the side.
They were without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and striker Romelu Lukaku, who both asked to be excused from duty, while France were missing their talisman Kylian Mbappe as he also made himself unavailable for selection in this international window.
Openda won a penalty when he raced clear and his clever change of direction meant he was fouled in the box by a slipping William Saliba. However, Tielemans put his spot-kick over the crossbar.
France then earned a penalty of their own as Faes used his arm to knock the ball as he fell to the ground in the box and this time Kolo Muani converted easily.
Openda turned Belgium’s late first half pressure into a goal as he headed Timothy Castagne’s cross into the net, a well-constructed move having timed his run to perfection.
Ousmane Dembele flashed a shot from the edge of the box wide and Manu Kone had the ball in the back of the net but the goal was disallowed for a Kolo Muani handball in the build-up.
France did regain the lead in the 62nd minute when Kolo Muani headed in Lucas Digne’s cross from the left, though Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels will feel he should have made the save.
“We played a good match and still lost. That is the quality of France. They can score out of nothing,” Faes said.
“It’s really bitter to lose like this. We missed a penalty in the first half and then concede one. That’s mentally very tough.”
