Belgium vs France LIVE: Nations League semi-final result, final score and reaction tonight
Les Bleus grabbed victory with the 90th minute strike from Theo Hernandez
World champions France recovered from two goals down to beat Belgium 3-2 in a thrilling Nations League semi-final on Thursday with a last minute strike from Theo Hernandez securing a place in Sunday’s showpiece match against Spain.
In a crazy end to the game Belgium thought they had won it minutes earlier but Romelu Lukaku’s late effort was ruled out for offside by VAR.
Yannick Carrasco fired Belgium ahead in the 37th minute and three minutes later Lukaku doubled the lead with a superbly taken goal.
Karim Benzema got France back into the game in the 62nd minute before Kylian Mbappe equalised with a penalty.
France were on top and searching for the winner but three minutes from the end of normal time Lukaku looked to have won the game for Belgium after connecting with a cross from Carrasco only for the effort to be annulled.
France midfielder Paul Pogba then hit the top of the post with a superb curling free-kick before Les Bleus grabbed victory with the 90th minute strike from Hernandez. Follow all the reaction from the game below.
Martinez speaks to the media
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez says he’s excited about the opportunity to face France and potentially Spain during this international break. He compares the Nations League with a club competition that sees the best teams play each other with silverware at stake.
Martinez on verge of record
Roberto Martinez has been Belgium coach for five years. He is one the most successful managers the country has ever had, although he has yet to win a major title for Belgium.
If Belgium win tonight, Martinez would match Guy Thys’s record for Belgium wins. Thys needed 108 games to get to 51 wins and this is just Martinez’s 65th game.
His record is 50 wins, nine draws and five defeats to date. That’s an average of 2.48 points per game, the best of any Belgium coach.
Belgium vs France
The beauty of the Nations League is the opportunity to see the best international teams go up against each other in competitive matches outside the World Cup and the European Championship.
Last night’s clash between Spain and Italy was full of drama, tension and skill, things which can be lost during friendly fixtures. Belgium are the No. 1 ranked team in the world and France are the reigning World Cup champions. Tonight’s match is a clash of giants and fingers crossed the action lives up to it.
Spain awaits tonight’s winner
One of either Belgium or France will face Spain in the Nations League final on Sunday after Luis Enrique’s side defeated the European champions Italy last night.
Here’s the story of the first semi-final, lets up tonight’s game lives up to it.
Spain end 10-man Italy’s unbeaten run to reach Nations League final
Italy 1-2 Spain: Ferran Torres scored twice as Leonardo Bonucci was sent off in Milan
Deschamps targeting Nations League trophy
More from Didier Deschamps who says he is putting France’s poor Euro 2020 campaign, where they got knocked out in the last-16 to Switzerland, behind him. He’s focused on the job ahead and the opportunity of winning the Nations League if his side get past Belgium tonight. He said:
“[Euro 2020] is behind us now. There’s a trophy up for grabs; a semi-final against one of the best teams in the world. We gave our all to get here from a very competitive group. We want this trophy. In the past, there were two international titles, the Euro and the World Cup. There are now three with the Nations League, and we want to win it.”
Deschamps on Hernandez brothers
Lucas and Theo Hernandez both start for France this evening in a rare situation which sees two brothers both in the starting XI for their country.
French coach Didier Deschamps spoke about the unusal coincidence saying: “I have not experienced [anything similar] as a coach. The Revelli brothers [Hervé and Patrick] did it in the ‘70s, when I was very small. They have this family bond. This does not mean that it changes anything, but I will be dealing with two players who have this connection.”
Belgium vs France - Line ups
Belgium XI: Courtois; Alderweireld, Denayer, Vertonghen; Castagne, Witsel, Tielemans, Carrasco; De Bruyne, Lukaku, Hazard
France XI: Lloris; Kounde, Varane, L. Hernandez; Pavard, Pogba, Rabiot, T. Hernandez; Griezmann; Benzema, Mbappe
Belgium vs France - The last meeting
The two sides last met at the semi-final stage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. A tight game saw France edge into the final with a 1-0 victory thanks to a Samuel Umtiti goal in the second half.
It was the first time Belgium had lost a game since September 2016 and the third time France reached the World Cup final which they went on to win.
After disappointing Euro 2020 campaigns for both these teams they’ll be relishing the chance to get through to the Nations League final and have a shot at more silverware.
Belgium vs France - Early team news
Dreis Mertens and Jeremy Doku are absent for Belgium as is defender Thomas Vermaelen but the rest of Roberto Martinez’s Euro 2020 squad returns for tonight’s semi-final. Eden Hazard has featured in the last five matches for Real Madrid as he looks to reubild his fitness although he is fit to play a full 90 minutes.
N’Golo Kante tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the match for France. Corentin Tolisso and Thomas Lemar have been excluded from the squad but their have been call ups for new arrivals Aurelien Tchouameni, Jordan Veretout and Matteo Guendouzi.
Belgium vs France
Last night’s match between Spain and Italy was a good example of why Uefa pushed to introduce the Nations League, in what is now the second season of the competition.
It’s hard to imagine a friendly match being played at the same intensity as last night’s semi-final at the San Siro, which produced an outstanding performance from Luis Enrique’s side as well as a dramatic end to Roberto Mancini’s unbeaten run.
Let’s hope for a similarly entertaining fixture tonight in Turin.
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