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.
Belgium 2 - 2 France
83 mins: Into the last 10 minutes now and the nerves are starting to show. Lukaku is dispossessed on the edge of the box and then France send a crossfield ball straight out of play.
Belgium 2 - 2 France
80 mins: Pogba slides Griezmann the ball on the edge of the box. He shoots on the spin but leans back on the effort and belts it over the goal. Which way is this going to go?
Belgium 2 - 2 France
78 mins: Lukaku is played in behind Varane and forces Lloris into another fingertip save from inside the box but the offside flag goes up against him.
We’re closing in on the final 10 minutes and neither side seems to be playing for extra-time. They both want to win this.
Belgium 2 - 2 France
76 mins: Substitutions for both teams. France replace Adrien Rabiot with Aurelien Tchouameni and Belgium bring on Hans Vanaken and Leandro Trossard for Youri Tielemans and Eden Hazard.
Belgium 2 - 2 France
75 mins: Close! Belgium finally burst into life in the second half as Hazard drives them forward on the counter-attack. He gives the ball to Castagne who flicks it back to De Bruyne. He feeds a pass into Lukaku who knocks it back to De Bruyne. De Bruyne runs onto the ball and smokes it at goal forcing Lloris to tip it over the crossbar!
Belgium 2 - 2 France
72 mins: The game has been turned on its head. Mbappe has been brilliant since the restart, can France complete the comeback and claim a victory or will Belgium stop the bleeding and get themselves back in front? We’ve got a game on here.
GOAL! Belgium 2 - 2 France (Mbappe, 69’)⚽️
69 mins: Mbappe blasts the penalty into the top corner. There’s no chance for Courtois who went the right way. France are back in the game!
Penalty to France!
68 mins: VAR call referee Daniel Siebert over to the pitchside monitor. He looks at the incident and points to the penalty spot. Kylian Mbappe is going to take it.
Belgium 2 - 1 France
67 mins: Penalty shout for France. Tielemans loses the ball in his own half and Mbappe drives it into the box. His confidence is up and he goes for goal but has the effort blocked. The ball rebounds out to Griezmann who is clipped on the ankle by a desperate Tielemans. Griezmann goes down in the box and VAR are going to take a look at this.
Belgium 2 - 1 France
65 mins: The game is beginning to open up now. France have done what they had to since the restart. They’ve taken the game to Belgium and forced them further and further back. Mbappe has seen more of the ball in dangerous areas and the Belgium defenders seen too timid to tackle him.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments