OLISE WINS IT
Michael Olise came off the bench and produced the moment France needed, scoring a stunning late goal to beat Belgium 1-0 in Brussels.
The UEFA Nations League clash looked destined for a draw after both teams struggled to find the final finish. France had chances, but Belgium defended with discipline and goalkeeper Senne Lammens kept his side in the contest.
Then Olise changed everything.
The Bayern Munich winger entered in the closing stages and received the ball around halfway. He drove forward, carried the attack into the Belgian area and finished calmly into the corner in the 88th minute.
It was not just a winning goal. It was a statement from a player who is becoming increasingly important for France.
Zinedine Zidane has now won his first two matches as France head coach. The result also puts France on six points at the top of Nations League Group A1.
The victory came without Kylian Mbappe, who missed the match after suffering a knee injury in France’s previous game against Turkey.
That makes Olise’s contribution even more significant.
France still have work to do, but Zidane has started perfectly on results. And Olise has given the new manager another reason to trust his attacking options.
The debate is already starting: should Olise now be one of the first names on Zidane’s team sheet?