France 2:1 Belgium (October 14, 2024) Match analysis

Striker Randal Kolo Muani scored a brace as France took a big step towards the quarter-finals of the Nations League with a 2-1 win over hosts Belgium in their League A Group 2 match in Brussels on Monday.

Kolo Muani opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a handball from Wout Faes, but Lois Openda equalized in first-half stoppage time after Belgian captain Youri Tielemans had earlier missed a penalty.

Kolo Muani headed just seconds after the hour mark and France were able to hold on to victory despite midfielder Aurelien Tchouaméni being sidelined with a second yellow card with 14 minutes remaining.

Italy lead the group with ten points from four games, followed by France with nine. Belgium has four points and Israel zero. The top two teams qualify for the quarter-finals, which will take place in March next year.

Belgium had hoped to end a 43-year wait for a competitive win over France and created enough chances to get more out of the game, but wasted a goal before, an all-too-familiar theme for the team.

They were without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and striker Romelu Lukaku, both of whom requested release from duty, while France were without their talisman Kylian Mbappe as he was also unavailable for selection in this international window.

Openda won a penalty as he ran free and his clever change of direction resulted in him being fouled in the penalty area by a slipping William Saliba. But Tielemans put his penalty over the crossbar.

France then earned a penalty of their own when Faes knocked the ball over with his arm as it fell to the ground in the penalty area, and this time Kolo Muani easily converted.

Openda turned the Belgians' pressure into a goal late in the first half when he headed Timothy Castagne's cross into the net – a well-constructed move that timed his run perfectly.

Ousmane Dembele fired a shot from the edge of the box wide of the goal and Manu Kone had the ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed due to a handball from Kolo Muani in advance.

France regained the lead in the 62nd minute when Kolo Muani headed Lucas Digne's cross from the left, although Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels will feel he should have parried.