Belgium host France tonight in what is a pivotal Nations League encounter. Italy lead the way in Group A2 and will expect to pick up three more points against Israel this evening, leaving Belgium and France with work to do if they are to stay within touching distance.
Confidence in the Belgium camp will have been buoyed by a draw with Italy last time out as they came from two goals down, even if a red card to Lorenzo Pellegrini did turn the match on its head. Belgium sit third in the group as it stands, two points behind France and three behind the Italians.
Les Blues beat their hosts tonight a month ago and will believe they can do the double, which would be a significant step towards the quarter-finals. Kylian Mbappe is not in the squad for this international break, due to fitness concerns, but France still swept aside Israel in a 4-1 win on Thursday. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below!
GOAL! Openda levels before half-time
GOAL! Kolo Muani dispatches spot-kick
MISSED! Tielemans blasts penalty over
How to watch: YouTube
20:37 , Matt Verri
There was another minute or so of the half, but there is the whistle.
Belgium deservedly get themselves back on terms with France, reward for their strong start to the match.
20:35 , Matt Verri
Goal given!
Saliba was playing Openda onside and the striker has headed Belgium level with near enough the final touch of the half.
20:34 , Matt Verri
Belgium are denied.
Openda with the header past Maignan, but the flag is up.
Hold up… replays suggest this will be given.
20:33 , Matt Verri
45+2 mins: Four minutes added on, Belgium starting to threaten again.
Openda is getting into plenty of good positions in the France box, this time he tries to pick out Tielemans in the middle.
Any sort of contact with the header and it’s probably a goal, but Tielemans nods at thin air.
20:30 , Matt Verri
44 mins: Doku drifts over to the other flank and he has some success, over a great one-two with Castagne.
Ball fizzed across the face of goal, Openda can’t catch up with it.
20:26 , Matt Verri
41 mins: After running him ragged in the first 15 minutes, Doku hasn’t really had another chance to take Digne on.
France dominating the ball now, firmly in control of this match.
20:23 , Matt Verri
38 mins: Superb from Barcola, bouncing off the challenges and leading the France counter.
Slowed down a bit, and then Guendouzi pops up on the left wing. Not really what you want, as he then passes it back to the halfway line.
20:21 , Matt Verri
Can Kolo Muani show Tielemans how it’s done?
Yes he can! Sends Casteels the wrong way and France have a lead they don’t particularly deserve.
20:19 , Matt Verri
And now a spot-kick at the other end!
Faes was lying on the ground, Barcola tried to dribble away from him and the defender has stuck out an elbow to halt him.
VAR won’t be overturning that.
20:18 , Matt Verri
32 mins: France have definitely enjoyed more control in this match since Tielemans sent his penalty into next year.
Dembele with a great ball into the box, Faes gets it away with a header but France are straight back on the attack.
20:15 , Matt Verri
29 mins: We’re not going to finish 11 vs 11 at this rate.
Mangala the latest player to be shown a yellow card, tripping up Kolo Muani as he tried to break.
That’s four yellows in 29 minutes.
20:13 , Matt Verri
28 mins: Openda played in behind, first touch takes him past Konate and he gets away the shot from a tight angle. Turned behind.
France deal with it well, a few groans as Belgium end up all the way back with the goalkeeper seconds later.
20:11 , Matt Verri
25 mins: France straight on the attack after that Belgium miss.
Barcola with a nice run, works space for the shot and it’s a decent save to deny him.
20:09 , Matt Verri
Just a yellow card for Saliba, despite some Belgium complaints.
Tielemans steps up to the spot… AND MISSES!
It’s dreadful, blasted high over the bar. Maignan went the right way but he wasn’t needed.
20:07 , Matt Verri
21 mins: Long VAR check – the offside must be close. If it is onside, it’s the clearest penalty you’ll ever see.
And it is given!
Openda onside and it’s a penalty for the hosts.
20:05 , Matt Verri
20 mins: France are INCREDIBLY lucky.
Openda clean through on goal. Poor first touch, that allows Saliba to get back but the defender slips and takes out Openda in the box.
It’s going to be a penalty… but the flag is up. Openda offside when Tielemans played him in.
20:04 , Matt Verri
18 mins: At the other end, Konate loses it and France are really open.
Trossard can drive all the way into the box, gets the shot away as Saliba eventually comes over and Maignan makes the save.
20:02 , Matt Verri
17 mins: Better from France, earning their first corner of the match.
Tielemans manages to flick it on in his own box, Barcola with the header at the back post but he can only find the side-netting.
20:00
15 mins: Good work from Trossard on the opposite flank, wins a corner for the hosts.
Tielemans to take, deep to the back post but Maignan has space to come off his line and claim under no real pressure.
19:58 , Matt Verri
13 mins: What’s the record time for a player being taken off for tactical reasons?
Doku bursts away from Digne, then gives him a nudge that sends the left-back tumbling over.
Ball whipped into the near post, Openda gets there ahead of Konate but fires just wide from a tight angle.
19:57 , Matt Verri
11 mins: This has been a brilliant start from Belgium.
Doku with the one-two and Digne can get nowhere near him on that right wing.
Great low cross into the six-yard box, Openda slides in but he can’t quite make contact.
19:55 , Matt Verri
9 mins: France have been very physical in these opening ten minutes or so. Tielemans the latest to be bundled over.
Tchouameni with the foul again – a booking isn’t far away for him.
19:53 , Matt Verri
7 mins: Digne isn’t so fortunate.
Doku skips away from him, and Digne just trips him up. Nowhere near the ball.
Just the 83 minutes for the left-back to play on a yellow card against Doku.
19:50 , Matt Verri
4 mins: Dear me, Tchouameni has absolutely launched himself into a challenge on De Ketelaere.
Belgian man is wiped out – Tchouameni does well to avoid a booking.
19:47 , Matt Verri
1 min: That’s got the fans going nice and early.
Castagne flying forward on the left wing, his cross drops for Tielemans in the area and he forces Maignan into a save in the opening minute.
19:46 , Matt Verri
Underway in this heavyweight clash!
19:41 , Matt Verri
Players are out onto the pitch.
We are some anthems and handshakes away from kick-off.
19:32 , Matt Verri
Just under 15 minutes to go until kick-off in Brussels.
That France squad does look to have the edge in terms of depth. That bench tonight – Nkunku, Olise, Thuram and Zaire-Emery to name only a few!
19:19 , Matt Verri
Two matches down, eight to go!
19:11 , Matt Verri
It’s still all to play for.
Italy sit top of Group A2 on seven points, with France a point behind them. Belgium have four points, and Israel are yet to get off the mark.
Top two in the group will go through to the Nations League fixtures and it could turn into a straight showdown between France and Belgium.
Italy are hosting Israel tonight, so they will be confident of strengthening their position further.
19:02 , Matt Verri
France do change it up from their win over Israel last week.
Digne replaces Hernandez at left back, while Kone and Guendouzi both start in midfield as Camavinga and Olise drop to the bench.
Barcola also gets the nod on the left wing, with Nkunku’s goal not enough to keep him in the side.
18:55 , Matt Verri
Starting XI: Maignan, Kounde, Saliba, Konate, Digne, Tchouameni, Kone, Guendouzi, Dembele, Barcola, Kolo Muani
Subs: Areola, Samba, Bade, Clauss, Fofana, Hernandez, Camavinga, Fofana, Zaire-Emery, Nkunku, Olise, Thuram
18:48 , Matt Verri
No real surprises in that Belgium lineup.
Castagne comes in at left-back, with De Cuyper dropping to the bench, but it is otherwise the same side that started against Italy.
Doku, Openda, Trossard… you would think there is enough in that front three to trouble France.
18:40 , Matt Verri
Starting XI: Casteels; Debast, Faes, Theate, Castagne; De Ketelaere, Mangala, Tielemans; Doku, Openda, Trossard
Subs: De Wolf, Vandevoordt, Bakayoko, Bornauw, De Cuyper, De Winter, Engels, Fofana, Lukebakio, Ngonge, Smets, Vranckx
18:31 , Matt Verri
Belgium have won a couple of friendlies over the past 20 years against France, but they otherwise have a miserable record.
Les Blues have not lost to Belgium in a competitive match since 1981… that’s a long old wait!
Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco said: “Will the poor results against France from the past discourage us? It can be a motivation. We can actually write history.”
18:18 , Matt Verri
Didier Deschamps is expecting an intense feel to tonight’s clash between two sides very familiar with each other.
“We will have a motivated Belgian team, like they always are, but even more so on Monday,” Deschamps said.
“There’s definitely a rivalry. We face each other often in competitions, but not so much in friendlies. We often meet in decisive matches. So there’s a rivalry since we are neighbours, but not animosity and no bad blood because the players know each other.
“I’m not convinced our past wins give us a psychological edge. It is history, and the players aren’t the same either.”
18:09 , Matt Verri
Just under two hours to go until kick-off in Brussels.
We’ll assume it will be slightly busier in the stands by then…
17:59 , Matt Verri
Speaking of that match lost month… here are some highlights for you!
Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele scored the goals on what was a fairly routine night for the French side.
17:51 , Matt Verri
Belgium did well to come from two goals down to earn a point last time out, but that recovery only happened after Italy were reduced to ten men.
France proved too good for Belgium last month and, even without Mbappe, they look to be strong enough to edge what will likely be a tight encounter.
France to win, 2-1.
17:41 , Matt Verri
France must also cope without a couple of big names.
Kylian Mbappe has been left out of the squad as his fitness is managed after an injury problem, while Antoine Griezmann has now retired from international football.
Bradley Barcola could come into the front three tonight, having impressed off the bench against Israel.
17:31 , Matt Verri
Belgium will be without Romelu Lukaku tonight, while Kevin De Bruyne is also absent as he attempts to return to fitness.
The Man City midfielder asked not to be included in the squad for either this international break or next month’s, as he continues to battle injury.
Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard are set to start on the wings tonight.
17:24 , Matt Verri
TV channel and live stream: The game will be broadcast for free on ViaPlay International’s YouTube channel. Kick-off is at 7:45pm BST.
Live blog: Follow all the action LIVE right here with us!
17:16 , Matt Verri
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Belgium vs France!
It’s a big Nations League clash, one that will potentially play a decisive role in who makes it through to the quarter-finals next year.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news, ahead of kick-off at 7:45pm BST!