Staff Reporter.
France overcame a slow start to beat neighbours Belgium 2-0 on Monday as Randal Kolo Muani’s close-in strike and Ousmane Dembele’s left footed drive handed them their first points of the Nations League campaign.
Didier Deschamps’ side were beaten 3-1 by Italy in their League A Group 2 opener on Friday and faced another tough challenge against the Belgians.
France captain Kylian Mbappe started on the bench for this game, having played the full 90 minutes against the Italians, and Deschamps decided to change his entire forward line.
Belgium made a bright start but fell behind just before the half-hour mark when Muani pounced on a loose ball to drive in his sixth goal for France.
Muani’s Paris St-Germain team-mate Dembele made it 2-0 after the break with a crisp strike.
Mbappe was sent on midway through the second half and had two good chances but was unable to get on the scoresheet.
“We were a little nervous at the start of the match, then we did a lot of good things collectively, individually too, with new players who didn’t have the experience,” said France coach Deschamps.