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France Stages Incredible Comeback Against Belgium Fueled by Olise and Doue
Amir Azimi
Daily News

France Stages Incredible Comeback Against Belgium Fueled by Olise and Doue

France's Dramatic 4-1 Victory Over Belgium

France overturned a 0-1 deficit to thrash Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France in the UEFA Nations League, thanks largely to inspired performances from Michael Olise and Desire Doue. After trailing for most of the match, Zinedine Zidane's team scored four goals in the final 14 minutes to seal an emphatic win.

Belgium looked set to hold on after Dodi Lukebakio scored in the 35th minute, keeping a tight defensive block despite France controlling 61% of possession and generating an expected goals (xG) of 2.38. The turning point came late as the French side’s fitness and fresh substitutes overwhelmed a tiring Belgian defense.

The late surge was sparked by several young players coming off the bench. Between the 77th minute and stoppage time, France turned the tide from 0-1 down to a commanding 4-1 triumph. Their dominance is clear in the stats: 24 shots with nine on target compared to Belgium’s five total attempts.

Goalkeeper and Defense

  • Guillaume Restes - 6/10: Faced limited action and wasn’t at fault for Lukebakio’s goal. Made one save and distributed well as France built from the back.
  • Leny Yoro - 7/10: Calm debut performance, showing quick recovery speed against Lukaku and winning key aerial duels. Helped limit Belgium to two shots on target.
  • Maxence Lacroix - 6/10: Solid but unspectacular, helped keep a high defensive line and added physicality. Was caught out momentarily for Belgium’s goal.
  • Jules Kounde - 7/10: Active attacking outlet on right-back, though some crosses were off-target. Defensively disciplined against Dodi Moreira.
  • Andy Diouf - 6/10: Balanced left side defense, less involved offensively but helped prevent counter-attacks throughout.

Midfield

  • Eduardo Camavinga - 7/10: Controlled the midfield, recycling possession and breaking lines with passing. Substituted late for Rabiot.
  • Manu Kone - 6/10: Provided physicality but lacked creativity against Belgium’s deep defense. Replaced around the hour mark.
  • Maghnes Akliouche - 6/10: Quiet, struggled to find space between the lines. Part of the tactical changes that sparked the comeback.

Attack

  • Ousmane Dembele - 6/10: Team captain who frustrated fans with ineffective dribbling and no goal contributions. Subbed off at 60 minutes.
  • Bradley Barcola - 6/10: Showed bursts of speed but was doubled up on by defenders, unable to break through before being replaced.
  • Esteban Lepaul - 6/10: Led the line but often isolated, did not trouble the goalkeeper significantly.

Substitutes and Manager Impact

  • Desire Doue - 9/10: Came on in the 72nd minute and changed everything. Scored the equalizer and assisted two more goals, sparking the incredible turnaround.
  • Michael Olise - 9/10: Entered at 60 minutes and shone. Assisted the go-ahead goal and scored twice in stoppage time to secure victory.
  • Rayan Cherki - 8/10: Another key substitute who scored the second goal with calm finishing and showed excellent technical skills.
  • Lucas Da Cunha - 7/10: Replaced Kone and provided the assist for Doue’s equalizer, injecting energy into the midfield.
  • Adrien Rabiot - N/A: Came on late to help close out the game.
  • Zinedine Zidane - 9/10: His tactical changes were decisive. Recognizing the need for fresh talent and individual flair, his substitutions flipped the result dramatically in France’s favor.

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