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France were defeated by Italy after scoring the fastest goal in UNL history, now they seek to come back as they prepare to face Belgium
France’s campaign in the UEFA Nations League (UNL) faces critical scrutiny as they host Belgium on Matchday 2, following a surprising 3-1 home defeat to Italy.
This loss has left Les Bleus reeling, marking their first back-to-back defeats since June 2015. Manager Didier Deschamps is utilizing this competition to test new strategies, a decision he acknowledges contributed to their initial stumble.
With the risk of losing three consecutive matches for the first time since 2013, France’s recent record against Belgium offers some solace.
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11:30 - 09.09.2024
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They’ve secured victories in their last three encounters, including a 3-2 win in the 2021 UNL semi-finals and a 1-0 triumph in the Euro 2024 round of 16.
However, their recent form at home in the UNL has been shaky, with only one win from their last three games, all played at home.
Belgium, in contrast, heads into this match with renewed confidence. They opened their UNL campaign with a 3-1 win over Israel at Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen.
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08:37 - 08.09.2024
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Manager Domenico Tedesco’s decision to field newcomers Arne Engels and Julien Duranville paid off, even though a missed penalty did not diminish their success. This win was Belgium’s third consecutive two-goal margin victory in their UNL campaigns.
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13:58 - 08.09.2024
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Despite this, Belgium has struggled on the road this year, winning only two of seven away matches (D3, L2). They also face the historical challenge of never having beaten France on French soil in a competitive match (D2, L4).
Key players to watch include Bradley Barcola, who scored the fastest goal in UNL history on Friday and has been in scintillating form, and Youri Tielemans, who has netted in both of Belgium’s last two international wins.
Notably, Belgium has conceded in nine of their last ten UNL matches, which could be a vulnerability France aims to exploit.
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