UEFA Nations League Opening Day/ France falters as Italy triumphs, Belgium secures victory
The opening day of the UEFA Nations League brought excitement, with France, Italy, and Belgium all taking to the field. By the end of the evening, France had fallen short, while Belgium came away with a comfortable victory.
In Paris, France made an explosive start against Italy at the Parc des Princes. Bradley Barcola took advantage of a misjudged Italian pass and scored just 13 seconds into the game.
Despite this early lead, Didier Deschamps’ men gradually lost their attacking momentum.
Italy regrouped, and their persistence paid off when Federico Dimarco fired home an equalizer just after the hour mark.
The second half saw a shift in momentum, as Davide Frattesi put Italy ahead in the 50th minute.
France struggled to recover, and Giacomo Raspadori sealed the win for Italy with a goal in the 74th minute, handing France a 3-1 defeat in their opening match.
Elsewhere, Belgium made a strong statement with a 3-1 win over Israel. Kevin De Bruyne scored twice (21’, 52’), while Youri Tielemans added another (48’), securing the victory for the Belgians ahead of their crucial match against France.
