LYON, Sept 9 V7N – France bounced back from a disappointing start to their Nations League campaign with a solid 2-0 victory over Belgium on Monday. The match marked a significant turnaround for the French team, who made eight changes to their lineup after losing 3-1 to Italy in their opening fixture.

The game began with Belgium applying early pressure, but France gradually found their rhythm. Randal Kolo Muani opened the scoring in the 29th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels failed to handle a scuffed shot from Ousmane Dembele.

Kolo Muani's close-range strike put the hosts ahead.Dembele, who was a constant threat throughout the match, doubled France's lead in the 57th minute with a powerful left-footed drive from the edge of the box. After the goal, Dembele expressed his determination to be more assertive in his play this season, stating, "I decided to try my luck... to be more selfish."Belgium struggled to create significant chances, with their best efforts coming late in the game after the introduction of Charles De Ketelaere.

Despite some attempts from Kevin De Bruyne, who had a frustrating evening, Belgium could not find the back of the net.France's coach Didier Deschamps praised his team's collective performance, acknowledging the nerves at the start but highlighting the positive response as the match progressed.

Meanwhile, Belgium's manager Domenico Tedesco noted that his side's timid approach in previous encounters against France had improved, but they still fell short.With this victory, France earned their first points in Group A2 of the Nations League, while Belgium remains level on points after their earlier win against Israel. Italy currently leads the group with six points following their victory over Israel on the same day.

END/WSD/RH