Key events
Aha, Ewan Murray’s match report is here:
As such, we’re finished here. Thanks for your company and comments – peace out.
It’s amazing how many tournaments Portugal might’ve gone close to winning, and didn’t largely because managers were too craven to bin Ronaldo.
Leagues B and C
Standings in the top leagues
France, though. Belgium played pretty well, and with De Bruyne and Tielemans to come back in, they can offer more going forward than tonight. But France are undeniable – they just have so many options for so many different situations. They’ll need to find a way of playing against Spain, and their defence, even in its first-choice iteration, can be got at, but goodness me, they’re fun to watch, Olise, Doue, Cherki and Dembele artists and killers.
Today’s results
FULL TIME: Northern Ireland 0-0 Georgia
Northern Ireland will be disappointed not to have won, but they top the group by a point from Hungary and have had a really positive camp.
FULL TIME: Italy 3-1 Turkey
A good night for Italy, who move above Belgium into second place behind France.
FULL TIME: France 4-1 Belgium
A difficult evening turns into a statement win. Four goals in the last 13 minutes, all from subs, and France are purring.
GOAL! France 4-1 Belgium (Olise 90+1)
Michael Olise is a brilliant footballer. France might be growing into a brilliant football team. Gorgeous control from Doue, one foot behind the other, and he then slides a ball in behind for Olise and as Vandevoort comes out, the finish is slipped under him with poise and expertise.
GOAL! Italy 3-1 Turkey (Esposito 87)
Lovely work from Doumbia down the right, beating his man then grooving inside, beating another man and squaring for Romano, who leaves a shot that’s going wide, only for Esposito to stick out a boot and redirect it into the net.
GOAL! France 3-1 Belgium (Olise 88)
Doue joins Olise down the right, making space before finding him. Olise then holds the ball, keeping his body between it and Raskin, waiting for the keeper to move, which allows him to prod a finish across goal and into the far corner.
More changes, Belgium replacing Lavia, Moreira and Vanaken with Openda, Trossard and Keita; France bring on Rabio for Camavinga.
Mamardashvili saves Price’s penalty!
He dives left and beats away!
PENALTY TO NORTHERN IRELAND!
I’ve not a clue what Lominadze is grousing about.
In Belfast, they’re checking for a penalty, because in a scramble after a corner, while McConvile was heading against the bar, Lominadze blootered McConviolle in the coupon.
GOAL! France 2-1 Belgium (Cherki 81)
A ball out to Olise, who slows Castagne down then stomps on to the gas, oozing away from him and cutting back, Cherki arriving to punch a finish home, I think off Mechele and Vandervoort. France have kept playing their game, and they’ve got their rewards.
GOAL! France 1-1 Belgium (Doué 77)
Doue receives the ball in the D and, with separation from Raskin, he turns, creating a shooting lane in the process, and drags a low finish into the far corner. There’s just so much firepower in this squad, it’s almost impossible to keep them out for 90.
France are working it well, but the combinations need to be quicker BUT EXCUSE ME WHILE I INTERRUPT MYSELF!
Lovely from France, olise taking the ball and weaving on the right, before surprising the Belgium defence with a stabbed square pass across the face of the box for Barcola to arrive on to. He shoots low and hard, the effort taking a slight deflection, and whizzing just past the base of the post. The ref gives a goalkick.
And that’s Lukaku’s last contribution. He and Lukebakio, the goalscorer, give way to De Ketelaere and Godts.
Lukaku’s given Lacroix and Yoro a tough evening and both pursue him when he’s given a ball into space; Lacroix brings him down and is booked.
“Manu Koné was brilliant for Roma last season and has started this season like a train, says Kári Tulinius. “I think people pigeonhole him as a midfield destroyer, which is a role he does well, but to me he’s more of a midfield metronome. He keeps the ball moving and when he sees the opportunity he passes the ball to players in good positions or drives forward himself. He’s not a flashy player, but I really enjoy watching him play. I think eventually he’ll become one of Zidane’s regulars.”
I just need more from him – if he’s a metronome, he needs more touches.
France have Belgium pinned back now and Cherki shifts it to find a shooting lane, just outside the box, thumping a hard, flat curler … that Vandevoort prangs away, diving to his left. Excellent all-round.
GOAL! Italy 2-1 Turkey (Calafiori 65)
A free-kick swung out to the far post and Calafiori is up above Elmali to loop a fine header over Cakir and into the far side-netting. There were hands in the back, but I don’t think this is getting ruled out
GOAL! Italy 1-1 Turkey (Simsir 61)
A lovely ball inside the full-back from Elmali allows Celoik to cross low, and Agkun flocks square, taking Donnarumma out of the equation allowing Simsik to tap his first international goal into the unguarded net.
Changes for France: Akliouche, Dembele and Kone off, Da Cunha, Cherki and Olise on.
Dembele looks France’s most-likely difference-maker and he glides by Seys, crosses low; Lepaul’s shot flicks off Vandevoort and behind.
Lavio ploughs through Lacroix and, though he gets a bit of the ball, when the ref decides it’s a foul, the yellow card is inevitable. He’s out of the next match.
GOAL! Ukraine 0-1 Hungary (Toth 52)
A goal in the other match in the NI group. Michael O’Neill’s men top it, but if the scores stay as they are, they’ll only be a point behind.
Kone’s shot is blocked, hitting Lavia’s shoulder, and the ball breaks to Demeble, right side of the box. He lasers a right-footed shot just wide of the far post.
NI are again putting the pressure on, Devenny’s deflected cross almost looping to Donley at the back post. But Dvali improvises well to body it back to Mamardashvili, under pressure.
We’re off again in Paris. Belgium haven’t beaten France in a competitive game since 1981.
Half-time email: “The Azzurri should win on home soil today,” reckons AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh, “but their football revival is still waiting to materialise, and Mancini has plenty of work to do.”
It’s a long job, I’m afraid – they’ve not qualified for the last three tournaments and they’re not doing well in age-group football. Mancini might be able to inspire them and find some tactical solutions, but they’re a long way off contending at the business end of tournaments.
Half-time scores
We’re still playing in Belfast, where NI have a free-kick, 25 yards out, which Kelly bends low around the near side of the wall … and into the side-netting.
HALF-TIME: France 0-1 Belgium
Relative to what they’ll have planned, a near-perfect half from Belgium. Work for Zidane to do.
France are looking for an equaliser but Belgium have defended well. I don’t think it’ll be long before we see Cherki, whose ability to do the unexpected is what his team are currently lacking.
A ball in behind and Kelly streaks away down the right. He cuts into the box and might shoot from a narrow angle, but opts to square and a defender cuts out the pass. I don’t think he’s have scored had he had a go, but if he’s done so across goal, the man in the middle might’ve got a rebound, whereas the direct route to him was blocked.
“Why is it that Belgium produces so many fine goalkeepers?” wonders Justin Kavanagh. “The no 1 in the world (probably), Mr Courtois, steps aside and along comes Lammens and now this young guy tonight playing a blinder, Vandevoort. I remember Pfaff (the Cat with Golden Hands) and of course Michel Preud’homme – the no 1 shirt seems to be like the no 10 is in other countries.”
My sense is it’s coincidence, but I guess we might posit that the national character is pretty understated, which is generally what you want in a keeper.
