Belgium beat Italy 2-0 in Nations League opener as Mbappé is injured in France win

ROME — Belgium beat Italy 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday, giving Mark van Bommel a winning start as head coach and spoiling Roberto Mancini’s return to the Azzurri sideline on the opening matchday of the UEFA Nations League campaign.

Mika Godts opened the scoring after threading a series of close-control dribbles through a crowded penalty area and finishing past the Italian defense. Dodi Lukebakio then collected the ball near midfield on a rapid transition, evaded challenges and curled a long-range shot beyond the goalkeeper. It was Van Bommel’s first match since leaving Belgian side Royal Antwerp in 2024.

France also won away from home in League A, beating newly promoted Turkey 1-0, but captain Kylian Mbappé left the pitch after a second-half injury. He scored the decisive goal before immediately requiring medical attention, casting doubt on his availability for the rest of the international window. Mancini, meanwhile, began his second Italy tenure with a defeat, five years after leading the side to the European Championship title and consecutive third-place Nations League finishes.

In Solna, Sweden took three points from its League B group opener with a 2-1 win over Romania. Alexander Isak put the hosts ahead, Dennis Man equalized and Viktor Gyökeres restored Sweden’s lead.

A missed penalty preceded the latest winner of Friday’s matches in Tbilisi. Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia failed to convert from the spot in the 65th minute, and Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles scored in the 99th to secure a 1-0 away victory. In Budapest, Danylo Sikan’s first-half goal gave Ukraine a 1-0 win over Hungary. Ukraine finished with 10 players after Oleksandr Nazarenko received a straight red card in the 92nd minute, but its back line preserved the clean sheet.

Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina drew 0-0 in Warsaw in League A. Polish captain Robert Lewandowski started and led the hosts’ forward line, but neither team converted its scoring chances.

League C brought a 2-0 home victory for Armenia over Latvia, with Georgii Arutiunian and Artur Garibyan scoring. Montenegro came from behind in Podgorica to beat Cyprus 2-1: Marcus Edwards gave the visitors an early lead before Nikola Krstovic and Milutin Osmajic scored unanswered goals in the second half.

Friday’s results fell on September 25, 2026. The opening round concludes on Saturday, September 26, with 10 matches, including England against Spain and Czechia against Croatia in League A. Tournament matches are distributed globally through UEFA’s designated regional television networks and authorized digital streaming platforms.