Belgium strike first against France in UEFA Nations League summit clash
Belgium took a first-half lead over group leaders France in their UEFA Nations League A1 meeting in Saint-Denis, with Dodi Lukebakio scoring in the 35th minute.
Match in Saint-Denis
On Monday evening, France hosted Belgium at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis for a UEFA Nations League Group A1 fixture that, according to Al Jazeera, was separated by just one point. France entered the match as group leaders with seven points from three games, while Belgium followed with six.
Belgium edged the first half: in the 35th minute, Romeo Lavia threaded a precise low pass through midfield, and Dodi Lukebakio ran away from France defender Diouf, composed himself and curled a left-footed finish past the near post to make it France 0-1 Belgium, according to the Guardian's live coverage. The goal raised questions about France's defensive setup — whether defender Lacroix should have played the offside line, or whether Diouf simply lost his marker.
Early match statistics compiled by the BBC showed France dominating possession (85.7% to 14.3%) and leading on shots (1-0), though these figures reflect only an early snapshot of the game.
Key absences
Both sides were missing important players. Belgium had to do without Kevin De Bruyne and captain Youri Tielemans, both suspended after picking up yellow cards in consecutive matches. France were without captain Kylian Mbappe, who sustained a knee injury during the win over Turkey, and defender Dayot Upamecano, suspended following a red card against Italy. Matteo Guendouzi and the injured Warren Zaire-Emery also missed out.
Notably, the pre-match lineups reported by Al Jazeera listed Mike Maignan and Senne Lammens as the expected goalkeepers, yet live match coverage referred to goalkeepers named Restes and Vandevoordt — likely reflecting the squad rotation Zidane had promised.
Coaches' comments
France manager Zinedine Zidane said before the match that he would make "smart changes" to his line-up, stressing the need to stay competitive while rotating players. Belgium's Mark van Bommel acknowledged France's "exceptional quality" across the pitch and said his side needed to be at its best in every area.
History
The two nations have met 79 times, with 30 wins apiece and 19 draws. This was the final match of the international window for both teams, with action resuming only in November.
