France left Belgium with a 1-0 win and a late flash from Michael Olise, but the night also offered Lucas Da Cunha a composed first step on the international stage. Former France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, who played alongside the Como player at Nice, was particularly impressed by the debutant’s calmness in a demanding central role.
Key takeaways
- France beat Belgium 1-0, with Olise scoring the decisive goal in the 88th minute.
- Da Cunha made his France debut and was praised for his positioning, game intelligence and composure.
- Schneiderlin felt France’s aggressive first-half approach prevented Belgium from settling.
- Eduardo Camavinga and Andy Diouf combined effectively on the left, despite Kylian Mbappé’s absence.
- Rayan Cherki and Olise entered in the 77th minute, helping France turn their territorial control into a result.
Da Cunha handles the occasion
Schneiderlin, a Euro 2016 finalist with France and a Europa League winner in 2017, saw plenty to admire in the way Da Cunha approached his first senior international appearance.
Used in a role similar to the deeper creative position occupied by Cherki during the 1-0 victory over Turkey, Da Cunha did not drop unnecessarily close to the defence. Instead, he remained in useful pockets of space and showed the ability to move beyond his initial assignment when openings appeared.
“For a first match with France, I loved it,” Schneiderlin said of the former Nice midfielder. “He does not come too deep to demand the ball. He stays in very interesting areas and has excellent football intelligence.”
Schneiderlin felt the occasion did not overwhelm Da Cunha, noting that he kept his decisions simple and effective. Having played with him at Nice, the former midfielder said Da Cunha’s work is consistently clean, without needless touches or overcomplicated choices.
France began with intensity and created several openings, though Schneiderlin believed their finishing initially let them down. Maxence Lacroix also played an important defensive part by stepping strongly towards Kevin De Bruyne to limit Belgium’s main creative threat.
Olise provides the late answer
The absence of Mbappé was not felt as sharply as might have been expected, with France finding momentum down the left. Camavinga covered significant ground and grew into the contest, while his understanding with Andy Diouf caused Belgium problems, particularly through runs in behind.
Diouf started on the left but also moved into midfield areas, offering a complementary presence alongside Camavinga. Schneiderlin nevertheless pointed to the need for caution over the space that could be left behind them.
France also showed commitment immediately after losing possession, pressing with purpose and leaving Belgium frustrated as they spent long spells chasing the ball. Schneiderlin’s verdict on the home side was blunt: they were suffocated by France’s control.
Estéban Lepaul, making his first start, had limited opportunities to make an impact. Schneiderlin described him as a penalty-box forward whose task is to anticipate chances and finish moves, while acknowledging that France did not produce many clear moments for him. His profile, he added, is markedly different from Ousmane Dembélé’s, with Dembélé more inclined to drift away from central areas.
The match changed again when Cherki and Olise were introduced in the 77th minute. Their arrivals reinforced France’s dominance, before Olise settled the contest 11 minutes later. The winger began his decisive run from deep, held off a defender and produced the individual quality that Schneiderlin described as a moment of brilliance.
