Michael Olise Strikes Late to Secure 1-0 France Victory Over Belgium

Michael Olise scored a stunning 88th-minute winner to lift France past Belgium 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League on Monday.

Michael Olise scored an 88th-minute solo goal to secure a 1-0 victory for France against Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday. Entering the match as a substitute, Olise received the ball deep in his own half, sprinted down the right flank, and cut inside to drive a shot into the bottom left corner. The result followed a 1-0 win against Türkiye on Friday, where Kylian Mbappé scored before exiting with a left knee injury.

Manager Zinedine Zidane made nine changes to the French starting lineup, handing debuts to Jérémy Jacquet, Andy Diouf, and Lucas Da Cunha. Youngsters Maghnes Akliouche and Esteban Lepaul also earned starts while Rayan Cherki and Ousmane Dembélé joined Olise on the bench. Despite the rotated squad, France controlled the match, though Désiré Doué hit the crossbar in the 12th minute and Da Cunha struck the post with a 25-yard attempt.

Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens recorded several saves to keep the game scoreless until the final minutes. Following the winning strike, Zidane celebrated by sprinting down the touchline and kicking a loose ball, later telling ESPN News Services he felt compelled to follow Olise's exceptional dribble. The French manager noted that the heavy rotation was planned from the start to utilize his entire 23-man roster.