MICHAEL OLISE’S MAGNIFICENT late strike gave France a 1-0 victory in Belgium in the Uefa Nations League on Monday as Zinedine Zidane made it two wins out of two since being named coach.
Bayern Munich star Olise, who was one of the outstanding players at the World Cup in which France reached the semi-finals, came off the bench late on with the game in Brussels goalless, and set off from inside his own half to score the winner in the 88th minute.
The win follows a 1-0 success away to Turkey last Friday in Zidane’s first game at the helm after succeeding Didier Deschamps as coach following the World Cup.
France are therefore top of Nations League Group A1 with six points, three points ahead of Belgium and Italy, with the latter winning 4-1 in Turkey on Monday.
Les Bleus play host to Italy next at the Stade de France on Friday on what will be Zidane’s homecoming. France will then entertain Belgium next Monday.
France had the better of the chances with Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue cracking a shot off the bar in the first half and Da Cunha striking the post early in the second half.
But the contest was heading to an unremarkable goalless conclusion until Olise intervened, having been sent on in the 77th minute in place of Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola.
The London-born player collected possession inside his own half and advanced all the way to the edge of the Belgian box before curling a shot beyond the reach of Senne Lammens into the bottom-left corner of the net.
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Northern Ireland's Shea Charles and Hungary's Dominik Szoboszlai battle for possession. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Northern Ireland 0-0 Hungary
Northern Ireland were left frustrated in a 0-0 draw at home to Hungary that looked to be there for the taking.
Patrick Kelly twice went close in the first half and Isaac Price was denied by Balazs Toth late on, but Northern Ireland could not find a goal which would have made it a perfect start to the campaign in Group B2 of the Nations League.
They looked the better side against higher-ranked opposition who struggled to create chances until the latter stages of a night when Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai’s most notable contribution was to charge up the Windsor Park crowd.
There were nervous moments in the closing stages as Ruairi McConville made a key block from Willi Orban and Pierce Charles saved from Alex Toth to preserve his fifth clean sheet in seven competitive appearances for Northern Ireland.
It means Michael O’Neill’s side have lost only one of their last 10 games in Belfast, and they looked resolute again with Hungary managing only one shot on target.
The major frustration for O’Neill will be the number of yellow cards shown by referee Ricardo De Burgos, with four Northern Ireland players – Shea Charles, Jamie Donley, Isaac Price and Ethan Galbraith – going in the book along with the manager himself.
Alessandro Bastoni scoring a goal for Italy against Türkiye. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Türkiye 1-4 Italy
Italy crushed Türkiye 4-1 in the Bursa rain to drag themselves into contention in Nations League Group A1.
Roberto Mancini’s return to run Italy had ended in Roman jeers on Friday as Italy lost their opener at home to Belgium.
His team dazzled in the downpour in the first half in Türkiye as the hosts quickly slid three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth.
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After nine minutes, the Celta Vigo goalkeeper scooped a drive from Pio Esposito round the post.
From the corner, Bursa-born fullback Zeki Celik, who plays for Juventus in Italy, swung wildly at a low near-post cross deflecting the ball to Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter Milan centre back lunged to fire into the roof of the net.
After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped at an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio’s Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home.
When Brentford’s Kayode again found himself in space, his shot for the near post eluded the plunging Bayindir.
Türkiye gave the restless crowd hope in the 47th minute when Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn to Oguz Aydin beyond the far post. He found Baris Yilmaz who gleefully drilled into an empty net.
The comeback lasted five minutes. Tottenham’s Sandro Tonali, in space, hit the post but Pio Esposito of Inter Milan dived to nod home the rebound.
Galatasaray attacker Yilmaz curled a shot home but Aydin of Besiktas, bouncing up and down in front of Man City’s Donnarumma, was offside.
Monday’s slick display may ease the pressure on Mancini, while piling it on his former Sampdoria club-mate and fellow ex-Italian international Vincenzo Montella.
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France strike late to defeat Belgium as Italy crush Türkiye in Nations League
Nations League
Belgium 0-1 France
MICHAEL OLISE’S MAGNIFICENT late strike gave France a 1-0 victory in Belgium in the Uefa Nations League on Monday as Zinedine Zidane made it two wins out of two since being named coach.
Bayern Munich star Olise, who was one of the outstanding players at the World Cup in which France reached the semi-finals, came off the bench late on with the game in Brussels goalless, and set off from inside his own half to score the winner in the 88th minute.
The win follows a 1-0 success away to Turkey last Friday in Zidane’s first game at the helm after succeeding Didier Deschamps as coach following the World Cup.
France are therefore top of Nations League Group A1 with six points, three points ahead of Belgium and Italy, with the latter winning 4-1 in Turkey on Monday.
Les Bleus play host to Italy next at the Stade de France on Friday on what will be Zidane’s homecoming. France will then entertain Belgium next Monday.
France had the better of the chances with Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue cracking a shot off the bar in the first half and Da Cunha striking the post early in the second half.
But the contest was heading to an unremarkable goalless conclusion until Olise intervened, having been sent on in the 77th minute in place of Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola.
The London-born player collected possession inside his own half and advanced all the way to the edge of the Belgian box before curling a shot beyond the reach of Senne Lammens into the bottom-left corner of the net.
Northern Ireland 0-0 Hungary
Northern Ireland were left frustrated in a 0-0 draw at home to Hungary that looked to be there for the taking.
Patrick Kelly twice went close in the first half and Isaac Price was denied by Balazs Toth late on, but Northern Ireland could not find a goal which would have made it a perfect start to the campaign in Group B2 of the Nations League.
They looked the better side against higher-ranked opposition who struggled to create chances until the latter stages of a night when Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai’s most notable contribution was to charge up the Windsor Park crowd.
There were nervous moments in the closing stages as Ruairi McConville made a key block from Willi Orban and Pierce Charles saved from Alex Toth to preserve his fifth clean sheet in seven competitive appearances for Northern Ireland.
It means Michael O’Neill’s side have lost only one of their last 10 games in Belfast, and they looked resolute again with Hungary managing only one shot on target.
The major frustration for O’Neill will be the number of yellow cards shown by referee Ricardo De Burgos, with four Northern Ireland players – Shea Charles, Jamie Donley, Isaac Price and Ethan Galbraith – going in the book along with the manager himself.
Türkiye 1-4 Italy
Italy crushed Türkiye 4-1 in the Bursa rain to drag themselves into contention in Nations League Group A1.
Roberto Mancini’s return to run Italy had ended in Roman jeers on Friday as Italy lost their opener at home to Belgium.
His team dazzled in the downpour in the first half in Türkiye as the hosts quickly slid three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth.
After nine minutes, the Celta Vigo goalkeeper scooped a drive from Pio Esposito round the post.
From the corner, Bursa-born fullback Zeki Celik, who plays for Juventus in Italy, swung wildly at a low near-post cross deflecting the ball to Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter Milan centre back lunged to fire into the roof of the net.
After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped at an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio’s Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home.
When Brentford’s Kayode again found himself in space, his shot for the near post eluded the plunging Bayindir.
Türkiye gave the restless crowd hope in the 47th minute when Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn to Oguz Aydin beyond the far post. He found Baris Yilmaz who gleefully drilled into an empty net.
The comeback lasted five minutes. Tottenham’s Sandro Tonali, in space, hit the post but Pio Esposito of Inter Milan dived to nod home the rebound.
Galatasaray attacker Yilmaz curled a shot home but Aydin of Besiktas, bouncing up and down in front of Man City’s Donnarumma, was offside.
Monday’s slick display may ease the pressure on Mancini, while piling it on his former Sampdoria club-mate and fellow ex-Italian international Vincenzo Montella.
– © AFP 2026
Additional reporting by Press Association
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