Kevin De Bruyne delivered two goals to secure a 3-0 victory for Belgium over Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on Friday evening, nos.nl reported, while group leader France was held to a 1-1 draw by Italy in Paris on a night honoring Zinédine Zidane.
De Bruyne Inspires Belgium in Liège
Belgium labored early on against a struggling Turkish side at the stadium in Liège, but 35-year-old midfielder Kevin De Bruyne seized control of the fixture. Just ten minutes in, De Bruyne used an elegant nutmeg against his Turkish marker to create shooting space before tucking the opening goal past the defense. After halftime, the veteran playmaker doubled the lead with a long-range strike that curled precisely into the top corner. Vincenzo Montella’s visiting side created several scoring opportunities of their own during the match, testing the Belgian defense before substitute Romelu Lukaku sealed the result. The 33-year-old forward tapped home the third goal in the closing stages to record his 94th career strike for the national team. De Bruyne picked up a yellow card, ruling him out of Belgium’s upcoming Monday fixture against France under manager Mark van Bommel.
Zidane Honored as France Draws Italy in Paris
Roughly 300 kilometers to the south in Paris, group leader France failed to secure a win against Italy, finishing 1-1 at the Stade de France. The encounter served as a homecoming for Zinédine Zidane, who took charge of the French national team after winning his first two away fixtures. Spectators and officials in the Stade de France welcomed the new manager with warm applause, celebrating the venue where Zidane scored the opening goal in 1998 and netted twice in the World Cup final later that year. France dominated early possession following the opening chants of “Zizou, Zizou,” but Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma repeatedly denied the hosts. The deadlock broke in the second half when Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki collaborated on a set-piece routine. Cherki rolled a free kick into the path of Olise, whose shot cleared the defensive wall and struck the underside of the crossbar to beat Donnarumma.
Italians Punish French Errors to Split Points
While France squandered opportunities to double their advantage, Italy capitalized on careless build-up play from the French backline. Defender Alessandro Bastoni intercepted a stray pass, drove forward into space, and calmly slotted home the equalizer to make it 1-1. The visitors nearly found a late winner after French defender Dayot Upamecano received a second yellow card and was sent off, but France managed to survive the closing minutes with ten men.
Edin Dzeko Bids Farewell to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Further east in Zenica, veteran striker Edin Dzeko marked his final appearance for Bosnia and Herzegovina during a 1-1 home draw against Sweden. Nineteen years after making his international debut, the 40-year-old captain walked off the pitch after roughly an hour of play through a guard of honor formed by both teams amid applause from the supporters. Dzeko had an apparent goal disallowed just before halftime, but the referee’s decision did not dampen the celebrations surrounding his career. “Niets in mijn carrière is te vergelijken met de trots die ik elke keer voelde als ik dit shirt aantrok,” a visibly emotional Dzeko told reporters after finishing his international career with 152 appearances and 73 goals.
When France Meets Belgium on Monday
Belgium travels to face France on Monday for the fourth match of the ongoing international break, though Mark van Bommel’s squad must contest the fixture without the suspended Kevin De Bruyne.
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