Michael Olise Leads France Past Belgium in UEFA Nations League
Michael Olise scored twice to lead France to a 4-1 victory over Belgium in their UEFA Nations League Group A1 fixture at the Stade de France on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, reported. The win capped off the international break for Les Bleus, who solidified their position at the top of the group standings.
France finished the four matches with 10 points to secure first place in Group A1, while Belgium sat in third place with six points, according to official UEFA data cited by ANTARA. The fixture followed a series of squad adjustments by manager Zinedine Zidane, who introduced changes to the starting lineup following a 1-1 draw against Italy.
Lukebakio scores first after France dominates possession
Operating in a 4-3-3 formation, France controlled the early exchanges through the attacking width of Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola. Barcola tested Belgian goalkeeper Marten Vandervoordt in the 16th minute, but his lofted effort was successfully tipped away.
Despite dominating possession, France conceded first in the 35th minute. Romeo Lavia intercepted play in midfield and slipped a precise through ball past the French defensive line, allowing Dodi Lukebakio to beat the offside trap. Lukebakio raced into the penalty area and fired a shot into the upper corner of Restes’ net, giving Belgium a 1-0 advantage that held through halftime, as detailed by Kompas.
France scores three goals to secure lead
Zidane introduced Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, and Lucas Da Cunha to inject creativity into the final third.
Desire Doue leveled the score at 1-1 in the 77th minute. Receiving a short pass from Da Cunha inside the penalty box, Doue eluded a defender before driving a low shot through his opponent’s legs and into the right corner. Just four minutes later, France claimed a 2-1 lead when Olise outmaneuvered Joaquin Seys and cut the ball back to Cherki on the right side of the box. Cherki struck a first-time finish past Vandervoordt.
Olise extended the lead to 3-1 in the 86th minute following a solo run down the right flank that beat three defenders, culminating in a one-two passing sequence with Doue that Olise finished at the far post. In the 91st minute, Olise secured his second goal and capped the 4-1 scoreline by latching onto another pass from Doue inside the area and firing past Vandervoordt from close range.
Match Lineups
France (4-3-3): Head coach Didier Deschamps utilized a lineup featuring goalkeeper Guillaume Restes behind defenders Jules Kounde, Leny Yoro, Maxence Lacroix, and Andy Diouf. In midfield, Maghnes Akliouche, Manu Kone, and Eduardo Camavinga started alongside an attacking trio consisting of Ousmane Dembele, Esteban Lepaul, and Bradley Barcola.
Belgium (4-3-3): The starting eleven deployed by the visitors included goalkeeper Marten Vandervoordt; a back line of Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, and Joaquin Seys; a midfield featuring Nicolas Raskin, Romeo Lavia, and Hans Vanaken; and a front three of Dodi Lukebakio, Romelu Lukaku, and Diego Moreira.
Where was the match played?
Where was the UEFA Nations League match played?
The match took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
How many points did France finish with in Group A1?
France accumulated 10 points from four matches to claim the top spot in Group A1.
Who scored the opening goal of the match?
Belgium’s Dodi Lukebakio opened the scoring in the 35th minute after receiving a through ball from Romeo Lavia.
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