Michael Olise produced a stunning impact off the bench as France came from behind to beat Belgium 4–1 in the Nations League on Monday night.
Belgium looked on course for a famous result after Dodi Lukebakio put them ahead in the 35th minute. France dominated possession but struggled to break through Belgium’s organised defence, heading into half-time a goal behind.
The game changed when Zinedine Zidane turned to his bench. Olise and Rayan Cherki were introduced around the hour mark, and France suddenly looked more dangerous in attack. Désiré Doué was also brought on and helped add even more energy to the French attack.
Doué finally found the equaliser in the 77th minute, but Olise was only getting started. Four minutes later, the Bayern Munich winger delivered a brilliant cross for Cherki to put France ahead. Olise then took centre stage, scoring in the 88th minute before adding another goal in stoppage time to complete a stunning brace.
In just around 30 minutes on the pitch, Olise scored twice and assisted another goal, playing a direct role in three of France’s four goals. His performance turned what had been a frustrating night for France into a convincing victory and gave Zidane his first home win as France coach.
The victory also keeps France at the top of Nations League Group A1 with 10 points, ahead of Italy on seven and Belgium on six. More importantly, Olise has given Zidane another selection headache after showing exactly what he can bring when given the opportunity.
For France, it was a reminder of the quality available from the bench. For Belgium, it was a painful lesson in how quickly a match can change. And for Olise, it was the perfect response — come on, change the game and leave Paris as the star of the night.
