France survived a late red card to captain Aurelien Tchouameni as they edged closer to a UEFA Nations League quarter-final spot with a 2-1 victory over Belgium in Brussels.
From a sending-off, a missed penalty and VAR drama, the League A Group 2 encounter at the King Baudouin Stadium had it all, but it was Randal Kolo Muani's brace either side of a Lois Openda response that got Les Bleus over the line.
Seeking to avenge their 2-0 loss to Les Bleus in September, Belgium exploded out of the blocks against a disjointed France side, who came under constant siege from the likes of Jeremy Doku and Openda early doors.
A succession of mistakes from the visitors did not help matters, and even after Domenico Tedesco's side wasted a golden chance to go ahead when Youri Tielemans blasted a spot kick over the bar, the Red Devils were still well on top.
However, Wout Faes's comical handball - or elbow-ball to be more precise - allowed Kolo Muani to teach Tielemans a 12-yard lesson and give France an undeserved lead, after which Belgium went into their shell.
There would be one late twist to the first half, though, as Openda kept himself onside and headed in with virtually the last act before the break, which preceded an equally frenetic and incident-packed second half.
Manu Kone's disallowed goal set the tone, before attacking figurehead Kolo Muani breached Koen Casteels's net for a second time, although Tchouameni's dismissal for two bookable offences forced Deschamps's men to dig as deep as they could defensively in the closing stages.
However, France did so successfully - tightening up to the extreme from the opening half-hour - to move onto nine points on Group 2, just one behind leaders Italy, and they need just one draw from their last two fixtures to guarantee a quarter-final spot.
Meanwhile, a crestfallen Belgium stay third - five points below the victorious visitors - and Tedesco's side are surely heading for a relegation/promotion playoff to salvage their top-tier status.
BELGIUM VS. FRANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Youri Tielemans penalty miss vs. France (23rd min, Belgium 0-0 France)
SALIBA GIVES UP A PENALTY FOR FRANCE BUT YOURI TIELEMANS PUTS IT OVER THE BAR!!! 😳
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 14, 2024
STILL 0-0 BETWEEN FRANCE AND BELGIUM 👀 pic.twitter.com/lyS3saOauk
William Saliba has just breathed the biggest sigh of relief imaginable! Openda gets in behind the France backline and is wiped out by the Arsenal man inside the box - in fairness, he slipped as he tried to check back.
The offside flag initially saved France, but upon a VAR review, the referee points to the penalty spot, and Tielemans takes on the responsibility.
However, the Aston Villa midfielder sends his penalty fizzing over the crossbar - a huge, huge let-off for the 2018 world champions.
Randal Kolo Muani goal vs. Belgium (35th min, Belgium 0-1 France)
KOLO MUANI GIVES FRANCE THE LEAD OVER BELGIUM FROM THE SPOT JUST MINUTES AFTER BELGIUM MISSED THEIR PENALTY!!
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 14, 2024
WOUT FAES GAVE UP THE PENALTY FOR A HANDBALL IN THE BOX 😬 pic.twitter.com/wcuMo19eNh
A penny for the thoughts of Tielemans right now! France have not started at all well, but a moment of madness - or misfortune - from Faes gifts the visitors a penalty, as the Leicester City man elbows the ball while sprawled on the ground trying to stop Bradley Barcola.
Kolo Muani does not make the same mistake from the spot as Tielemans did, calmly sending Casteels the wrong way and giving Deschamps's side the lead against the run of play.
Lois Openda goal vs. France (45 +3 min, Belgium 1-1 France)
🇧🇪 Openda 🤗#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/ign6bmhWRL
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) October 14, 2024
Belgium have been poor since France took the lead, but right at the end of the first half, Tedesco's men finally have the goal that their opening 20 minutes merited.
Timothy Castagne's inswinging cross is headed past Mike Maignan by RB Leipzig hotshot Openda, who initially saw the linesman's flag shoot up for offside, but replays show that Saliba was playing him on - really poor call from the official. Game on!
Manu Kone disallowed goal vs. Belgium (58th min, Belgium 1-1 France)
Officiating drama has not been in short supply in Brussels! Kone finds the bottom corner at the second attempt after seeing one shot blocked, but the referee had spotted a handball in the build-up to that goal, and his on-field decision is upheld by the VAR room.
Randal Kolo Muani goal vs. Belgium (62nd min, Belgium 1-2 France)
Nothing at all controversial about this one! Lucas Digne whips in a brilliant ball from the left, which finds the head of Kolo Muani, and his aerial effort is too powerful for Casteels to keep out.
The Belgium goalkeeper could and probably should have done better - Kolo Muani's header found its way through his grip - but the Paris Saint-Germain striker does not care; that is three in two games against the Red Devils for Kolo Muani.
Aurelien Tchouameni red card vs. Belgium (76th min, Belgium 1-2 France)
© IconSport
France's captain is sent off! Belgium break down the left and Openda sends a delightful ball through the middle to Tielemans, who is clipped by Tchouameni from behind as he bears down on goal.
The Real Madrid man - who had already been cautioned - immediately looked resigned to his fate, and referee Irfan Peljto has no choice but to brandish the second yellow card and sent Tchouameni for an early bath.
MAN OF THE MATCH - RANDAL KOLO MUANI
© Imago
A France attack without both of Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe just does not seem right, but Kolo Muani filled the voids expertly in Brussels, and it was his double that propelled Les Bleus to their critical victory.
Casteels would not have got to his penalty even if he went the right way, and he used every inch of his 6ft 2in frame to power home his second-half header, one which keeps France in the driving seat for a quarter-final place.
BELGIUM VS. FRANCE MATCH STATS
Possession: Belgium 46%-54% France
Shots: Belgium 20-14 France
Shots on target: Belgium 7-4 France
Corners: Belgium 9-4 France
Fouls: Belgium 10-14 France
BEST STATS
5 - La France a encaissé au moins un but lors de ses 5 derniers matches à l'extérieur, sa plus longue série du genre depuis novembre 2007-octobre 2008 (5 matches également). Fragile. #BELFRA pic.twitter.com/48XIMLzxul
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) October 14, 2024
83 | Belgium 1-2 France
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) October 14, 2024
Aurélien Tchouaméni is the first France captain to receive a red card since Zinédine Zidane's infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final (@Statsdufoot).
WHAT NEXT?
Now more or less through to the last eight, France host Israel in their penultimate Nations League clash on November 14, where they could wrap up a top-two finish before travelling to Italy three days later.
Meanwhile, nothing less than six points from six will do for Belgium against the Azzurri (November 14) and Israel (November 17), although their fate may be sealed before the latter meeting.
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