In their Nations League A Group 2 match on Monday, France defeated Belgium 2-1 on the road thanks to the double from striker Randal Kolo Muani, earning the coach’s praise and a first-round trip to the quarterfinals.
With a second booking for captain Aurelien Tchouameni, France finished the encounter with 10 men after Kolo Muani scored a penalty and a header in the second half to help them hold off the competitive home team.
Kolo Muani has scored four goals in as many appearances for France this season, despite being a rare starter for Paris Saint-Germain. Deschamps told TF1, “He’s radiant; he’s interesting.” “He exudes confidence and possesses a distinct profile in which he exhibits presence during his ball runs. He makes an excellent header and frequently has success playing with us.”
Belgium controlled the first few possessions and had the lead if Youri Tielemans hadn’t missed a penalty.
“We were shaken for the first 20 to 25 minutes where they (Belgium) put in a lot of intensity, while we made a lot of technical errors,” Deschamps said. “When we could find solutions going forward, it was better for us.” The players needed to be shaken up. Regarding what we said and what the players had expressed, we mostly needed to cool down because of our faults. We have to advance and exert good pressure. They had opportunities, of course, but in the second half, so did we. Especially with ten men, we’re glad to have won this match.”
The fact that France’s star player, Kylian Mbappe, was out from their most recent Nations League games and that their starting lineup included several less seasoned players made Deschamps’ victory sweeter.
“It’s a young team that doesn’t have much experience,” he stated. “(For this match), there was seriousness and enthusiasm. “Winning these kinds of games is preferable.”
After four games, Italy has accumulated 10 points, nine more than France, and Belgium has four points. The top two advance to the quarterfinals, which take place in March of the following year.
