Super-subs Olise and Doue lead France to Nations League victory

Super-subs propelled France past Belgium thanks to a frantic finish that flipped the script entirely. Michael Olise and Desire Doue were the stars of that final flurry, scoring four goals while sitting on the bench for most of the match. They helped their nation overturn a 1-0 deficit right at home in the Stade de France during their Nations League Group A1 clash.

Belgium's Dodi Lukebakio opened the scoring with a strike in the 35th minute. The visitors looked comfortable until the clock wound down to the final quarter hour. Desire Doue leveled the game with a sharp left-footed shot from just outside the box in the 77th minute. Only four minutes later, Rayan Cherki put France ahead by finishing after an Olise cross.

Olise sealed his brace right before and during stoppage time. His second goal came on slick teamwork, latching onto Doue's pass following a clinical break. Zinedine Zidane secured his first home win since taking charge just three days after a 1-1 draw against Italy. This victory owed everything to the impact of his substitutes in those closing moments.

Meanwhile in the same group, Italy claimed a 3-1 victory over Turkiye. Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori, and Pio Esposito found the net for the hosts. Turkiye's Aral Simsir managed to equalize just after the hour mark before Italy pulled away again.

The final standings see France sit atop Group A1 with 10 points. They are three clear of Italy and four points ahead of Belgium. Turkiye remain at the bottom with four defeats from their four matches played so far. France will travel to Milan next month to face the Azzurri in their penultimate group game before hosting Turkiye at home.