France 4-1 Belgium: Substitutes Doue, Cherki and Olise score late goals in dramatic comeback win

Catch up on all the action from France vs Belgium in the Nations League

Cian Cheesbrough

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21 minutes ago • 3 min read

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France 4-1 Belgium: Substitutes Doue, Cherki and Olise score late goals in dramatic comeback win

UEFA Nations League, League A – 4

France FRA

4 – 1

Full Time

Belgium BEL

: Stade de France
: Nick Walsh

Désiré Doue 77′ Rayan Cherki 81′ Michael Olise 88′ Michael Olise 90+1′

Dodi Lukebakio 35′

France scored four late goals to stun Belgium with a 4-1 comeback victory in the Nations League at the Stade de France.

Dodi Lukebakio had slotted home in the first half to put Belgium in front and the visitors led for much of the game, but goals from substitutes Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki completed a dramatic turnaround, before Michael Olise netted twice to put themselves in the driving seat to win Group A4.

France end the international period unbeaten with three wins and a draw to put them top of the group, with Belgium slipping to third after suffering their second defeat to France within the space of a week.

Belgium make their mark

France started brightly at the Stade de France, with Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola causing problems down the flanks as Les Bleus pushed for an early opener.

Barcola had the best chance when he was played through on goal, but his attempted lob was comfortably saved by Maarten Vandevoordt.

Belgium gradually grew into the game, with Romelu Lukaku testing France goalkeeper Restes and Nicolas Raskin heading wide from a dangerous Dodi Lukebakio cross.

Lukebakio then stunned the hosts in the 35th minute, racing onto a superb pass from Lavia before firing past Restes to give Belgium a 1-0 lead.

France pushed for an equaliser before the break but Belgium defended resolutely, with the visitors taking a deserved lead into half-time.

Late France comeback stuns Belgium

Dembele went agonisingly close at the start of the second half after his effort flashed just wide of the post after Manu Kone’s initial effort was blocked.

Vandevoordt then produced a big save to deny Dembele after the Paris Saint-Germain forward worked his magic by weaving in and out before delivering the ball to Esteban Lepaul, who couldn’t beat the Belgian stopper.

Cherki and Olise’s introductions sparked life into France’s attack, with the former lining up a sensational strike which produced an even better save from Vandevoordt as he tipped it away at full stretch.

Olise then did well to manoeuvre a chance for Barcola, but the Liverpool winger’s shot flashed just wide of the post just again as we approached the final 15 minutes.

Barcola was replaced by PSG team-mate Doue and within minutes the substitute had France level with just more than 10 minutes left, finding the back of the net with a sensational effort from 25 yards.

And just four minutes later, France were sensationally in front through Cherki, who turned Olise’s cross home in terrific style for a huge goal in the race to win Group A4.

And the three points were wrapped up when the third substitute got in on the act, with Olise latching onto Doue’s cross before slotting home.

It was another Doue and Olise combination for the fourth as France ran away with the result, slotting past the hapless Vandevoordt to seal an emphatic win.