France coach Zinedine Zidane began his tenure with a 1-0 victory over Turkey, but the night was overshadowed by an injury to captain Kylian Mbappe. Meanwhile, Roberto Mancini’s return to the Italian national team ended in a 2-0 defeat to Belgium in the UEFA Nations League.
Zinedine Zidane’s first match in charge of France ended in victory on Friday, but concerns over Kylian Mbappe’s knee injury cast a shadow over the 1-0 win against Turkey in their UEFA Nations League Group A1 encounter.
Mbappe, who scored the only goal of the match nine minutes into the second half, appeared to injure himself while shooting and was forced off a few minutes later after initially attempting to continue.
The France captain was visibly in pain as he left the pitch, prompting immediate concerns about his availability for the team’s upcoming fixtures.
Speaking to French broadcaster TF1 after the match, Zidane expressed concern over the injury and suggested that the Real Madrid forward could miss the remaining three Nations League matches over the next 10 days.
“It’s not great. Unfortunately, I think he’s going to have to go home. We don’t want to take any risks,” Zidane said.
“He overextended his knee while shooting. It’s not very encouraging.”
France, however, managed to preserve their narrow lead and secure all three points despite losing their captain.
Turkey’s chances of mounting a late comeback were further weakened when goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir received a red card for handling the ball outside his penalty area while attempting to stop Bradley Barcola.
The victory marked the beginning of a new chapter for Zidane, the former France international who was part of the country’s historic 1998 FIFA World Cup-winning team. He was appointed in late July as the successor to Didier Deschamps.
France are now expected to travel to Brussels for their next encounter against Belgium on Monday, potentially without their captain.
Belgium Hand Mancini Defeat on Italy Return
In Rome, Belgium spoiled Roberto Mancini’s return to the Italian national team with a convincing 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico.
Belgium took the lead in the 20th minute through Mika Godts, who ran through the Italian defence before finding the back of the net.
Substitute Dodi Lukebakio extended the visitors’ advantage after the break, firing home from outside the penalty area to seal the victory.
The defeat marked a disappointing start to Mancini’s second spell as Italy coach, following his return to the position after previously leading the national team from 2018 to 2023.
During his first tenure, Mancini guided Italy to victory at Euro 2020, but the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup remains a significant issue for the four-time world champions.
Asked whether that disappointment was still affecting the nation, Mancini urged supporters and players to focus on the future.
“We need to think positively and not keep banging on all the time about what has happened in the past,” he said.
“In any case, we can’t change what happened now.”
Mancini also described the boos from the nearly 50,000 supporters at the Stadio Olimpico as normal, saying they were part of football.
Sweden Secure Victory as Isak and Gyokeres Find the Net
Elsewhere in Friday’s Nations League action, Sweden claimed a 2-1 victory over Romania in Stockholm, with Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres both getting on the scoresheet.
The result provided Sweden with an important victory in Group B4, while Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina played out a goalless draw in the same section.
Poland were captained by Robert Lewandowski, but neither side managed to find a breakthrough despite their efforts.
Northern Ireland and Ukraine Record Important Wins
Northern Ireland secured a dramatic 1-0 away victory over Georgia in Group B2, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Shea Charles of Fulham.
The match had looked destined for a draw after Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed an opportunity to put the hosts ahead, with his penalty saved by the Northern Ireland goalkeeper.
Charles eventually settled the contest deep into added time, handing Northern Ireland a valuable three points on the road.
Ukraine also recorded a 1-0 away win, defeating Hungary in the same group.
Danylo Sikan scored the decisive goal for Ukraine, who had to withstand late pressure after Oleksandr Nazarenko was sent off.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Ukraine held on to secure the victory.
Meanwhile, Armenia and Montenegro also recorded wins in their respective League C fixtures.
Nations League Action Continues
The UEFA Nations League campaign continues on Saturday, with England scheduled to host Spain in one of the day’s headline fixtures.
Spain will be playing their first match since winning the World Cup in July, while England will be looking to make a strong statement against the reigning champions.
For France, however, attention will remain firmly on Mbappe’s injury and whether their captain will be available for the remainder of the international window.
Zidane’s first victory has given his new tenure a positive start on the pitch, but the possible absence of one of the world’s leading forwards presents an early challenge for the French coach.
