Michael Olise lit up the Stade de France from the bench as France closed their Nations League night with a 4-1 win over Belgium on Monday, turning a stubborn contest into a convincing finish.
Key takeaways
- Olise came on to score twice and provide one assist against Belgium.
- Désiré Doué contributed a goal and two assists in France’s four-goal display.
- France reached 10 points after winning their final match.
- Both players stressed the contribution of substitutes as well as the starting XI.
- Olise said France have responded well to the ideas brought by Zinédine Zidane across the last four matches.
Olise praises France’s collective response
France found the opening half difficult against a Belgium side sitting deep and defending in numbers, Olise said after the match. The forward felt the hosts improved as the game progressed, maintaining their effort until the late breakthrough came.
“We played well in the end,” Olise said. “The first half was difficult against a low block; it is always hard in those circumstances. But we kept going and the finish was good.”
His decisive cameo included two goals and an assist, but Olise placed the emphasis on the group rather than his own return. He said Zidane had brought new ideas which the squad had followed successfully during the previous four fixtures.
Olise added that representing France remains a pleasure, pointing to the level of talent available throughout the squad.
Doué highlights squad-wide impact
Doué also underlined France’s determination to finish their campaign with a victory. His own contribution was substantial, with one goal and two assists in the 4-1 success, yet he echoed Olise’s focus on the entire squad.
“We wanted to win the final match,” Doué said. “We are now on 10 points. Everyone played their part, whether they started or came on. We must keep this going.”
The attacker acknowledged that breaking down a disciplined Belgian defence had not been straightforward, but said France’s attacking quality eventually made the difference.
“Scoring is never easy, particularly against a team that defends well,” Doué said. “But there is enormous talent in this team, and that is wonderful.”
