Belgium Spoil Mancini’s Return as Mbappé Launches Zidane Era on a Dramatic Nations League Friday

ROME, Italy, September 25, 2026: Friday’s UEFA Nations League action began with new coaching eras and ended with some of Europe’s established names already under pressure.

Belgium spoiled Roberto Mancini’s return to the Italy bench with a 2-0 win in Rome. Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal in Türkiye to give Zinedine Zidane victory in his first match as France coach. Northern Ireland waited until the 99th minute to stun Georgia after Pierce Charles had saved a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia penalty.

Elsewhere, Ukraine survived in Budapest, Sweden’s Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres both scored against Romania, Armenia controlled Latvia, Montenegro came from behind against Cyprus, and Poland opened with a goalless draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Eight matches produced only 12 goals, but the low total did not mean a quiet night.

TSE VISUAL BRIEFING

Story at a glance

01

Belgium Turn Mancini’s Italy Return Into a Reality Check

Italy entered Friday with Roberto Mancini beginning his second spell as national-team coach and nine uncapped players included in the wider squad.

02

Mbappé Gives Zidane the Start France Needed

Zinedine Zidane’s first competitive match as France coach ended with the result most French supporters wanted, though not without complications.

03

The Charles Brothers Produced Friday’s Most Dramatic Story

Northern Ireland’s 1-0 victory in Georgia contained the night’s most complete individual family storyline.

04

Ukraine Found a Way to Win in Budapest

Ukraine’s 1-0 victory over Hungary was less dramatic on the scoreboard but nearly as important.

05

Isak and Gyökeres Give Sweden the Attack It Wanted

Sweden’s 2-1 win over Romania contained exactly the attacking development Graham Potter would have wanted to see.

Friday instead became a first examination of how quickly new coaches, promoted teams and post-World Cup squads can adjust to another competitive cycle.

Nations League Friday Results at a Glance

Belgium Turn Mancini’s Italy Return Into a Reality Check

Italy entered Friday with Roberto Mancini beginning his second spell as national-team coach and nine uncapped players included in the wider squad.

Belgium ensured the new era started with an immediate reminder of how much work remains.

Mika Godts opened the scoring in the 21st minute after Kevin De Bruyne found him in space. Godts took advantage and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Belgium an early platform.

Donnarumma prevented the match from getting away from Italy during the first half, including a strong double intervention against Charles De Ketelaere and Nicolas Raskin.

Italy improved after halftime but still struggled to turn possession into sustained danger.

Dodi Lukébakio then settled the match in the 69th minute with a long-range finish from roughly 20 meters.

Belgium’s 2-0 victory was its first against Italy in Nations League competition, according to UEFA’s official Friday Matchday 1 round-up.

The performance also offered a useful response to Belgium’s painful World Cup exit.

The Red Devils had reached the quarterfinals before two rebound goals sent Spain through, a defeat analyzed in The Sports Encounter’s Belgium-Spain World Cup report.

Before that loss, Belgium had produced one of its best attacking displays of the tournament by eliminating the United States 4-1. TSE’s report on Belgium’s Round of 16 victory showed how dangerous the team could become when its attacking pieces connected quickly.

Friday looked closer to that version.

For Italy, the problem was more fundamental.

Mancini has returned to a national team still processing a third consecutive failure to reach the World Cup. A home defeat without scoring will increase the pressure on an already aggressive rebuild.

Mbappé Gives Zidane the Start France Needed

Zinedine Zidane’s first competitive match as France coach ended with the result most French supporters wanted, though not without complications.

France beat Türkiye 1-0 in Kocaeli through Mbappé’s 54th-minute goal.

Michael Olise created the decisive chance, and Mbappé converted for his 64th senior international goal.

The concern came in the same sequence.

UEFA reported that Mbappé was injured during the scoring move, adding uncertainty to an otherwise successful opening night for Zidane.

The France captain had already missed training earlier in the week because of illness, so his condition will be closely watched during a demanding four-match international window.

Türkiye remained in the contest and forced Mike Maignan into an important second-half save from İsmail Yüksek.

France came close to a second through Jules Koundé, while Turkish goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off late.

The match never became an attacking exhibition.

That may actually matter more for Zidane.

His predecessor’s France often survived tournament matches through control, defensive organization and elite individual finishing. Zidane’s first game followed a similar pattern: the structure kept Türkiye out often enough, then Mbappé supplied the decisive moment.

France’s World Cup run had demonstrated how powerful that combination could become. Mbappé led another knockout victory against Morocco in TSE’s France-Morocco quarterfinal report.

Spain eventually ended the French campaign 2-0 in the semifinals, with TSE’s analysis of Spain’s tactical control highlighting the areas France needed to improve.

Zidane now has the first competitive data point of his tenure.

Three points came with it.

The Charles Brothers Produced Friday’s Most Dramatic Story

Northern Ireland’s 1-0 victory in Georgia contained the night’s most complete individual family storyline.

Pierce Charles saved his team first.

Shea Charles won the match later.

Georgia had the clearest opportunity in the 65th minute when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stepped up for a penalty.

Pierce Charles read the attempt and saved it.

The goalkeeper had already denied Georges Mikautadze from close range earlier in the second half, keeping Northern Ireland alive during Georgia’s strongest period.

Then, in the ninth minute of stoppage time, Shea Charles attacked Trai Hume’s delivery and scrambled home the winning goal.

A VAR check followed.

The goal stood.

Northern Ireland had its first Nations League away victory.

The match report from Tbilisi confirms both Pierce’s penalty save and Shea’s 99th-minute winner.

The result immediately changes Group B2 because Georgia entered the section with enough attacking talent to expect a promotion challenge.

Instead, Northern Ireland leave Tbilisi with three points before hosting Hungary.

Ukraine Found a Way to Win in Budapest

Ukraine’s 1-0 victory over Hungary was less dramatic on the scoreboard but nearly as important.

Danylo Sikan scored the only goal in the 42nd minute, heading in a well-delivered cross from Georgiy Sudakov.

Hungary had chances before and after the goal.

Dániel Lukács struck the crossbar early, Bendegúz Bolla missed from close range and András Schäfer remained involved in several of Hungary’s better attacking sequences.

Ukraine nevertheless defended the advantage.

Dmytro Riznyk made the saves required behind a team that increasingly had to absorb pressure in the closing stages.

The finish became even more uncomfortable when Oleksandr Nazarenko received a second yellow card in stoppage time.

Ukraine survived with 10 men.

The victory gave Andrea Maldera a winning start to competitive international football and placed Ukraine level with Northern Ireland at the top of Group B2 after one match.

Isak and Gyökeres Give Sweden the Attack It Wanted

Sweden’s 2-1 win over Romania contained exactly the attacking development Graham Potter would have wanted to see.

Alexander Isak scored.

Viktor Gyökeres scored.

Sweden’s two leading forwards both made an impact before halftime.

Isak opened the scoring in the 20th minute after Yasin Ayari helped create the move.

Romania responded nine minutes later when Dennis Man converted to make it 1-1.

Gyökeres restored Sweden’s advantage in the 43rd minute.

That 2-1 scoreline survived the second half, although Sweden briefly thought it had extended the lead when Elliot Stroud found the net in the 53rd minute. VAR overturned the goal.

The result carries additional importance because both Sweden and Romania entered this campaign after promotion from League C. The Swedish federation’s pre-match guide noted that both nations had won their League C groups in the previous edition.

Sweden’s attacking potential was already visible during the World Cup.

TSE’s World Cup knockout preview identified Isak and Gyökeres as the core of Sweden’s direct threat.

That same World Cup also exposed the other side of Sweden’s profile when the Netherlands punished defensive gaps in a 5-1 group-stage defeat, covered in TSE’s Netherlands-Sweden analysis.

Friday was cleaner.

Sweden scored twice, protected the lead and immediately moved top of Group B4.

Poland and Bosnia Begin Group B4 With a Stalemate

While Sweden moved to three points, Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina began with one each.

Their match ended 0-0.

Poland started Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zieliński, but neither side found the moment required to break the game open.

The draw may become more significant because Sweden’s victory created immediate separation at the top of the group.

Bosnia’s recent competitive history suggests it cannot be treated as a passive League B opponent.

At the World Cup, Bosnia beat Qatar 3-1 to keep its knockout hopes alive, a performance covered in TSE’s Bosnia-Qatar report.

The United States later eliminated Bosnia 2-0 in the Round of 32, with TSE documenting Bosnia’s knockout exit.

Friday’s point is therefore useful, but Group B4 already looks like a section where dropped home points may matter.

Armenia Produced Friday’s Most Controlled Win

Armenia’s 2-0 victory over Latvia was the only Friday match won by more than one goal outside Italy-Belgium.

Georgiy Harutyunyan opened the scoring in the 31st minute.

Substitute Artur Gharibyan added the second in the 75th.

The underlying numbers supported the result.

Armenia recorded 14 shots to Latvia’s five, won the corner count 10-2 and allowed only one Latvian shot on target.

For a League C campaign in which small margins frequently decide promotion, Armenia could hardly have asked for a more controlled start.

They also finished the night top of Group C2 on goal difference.

Montenegro Had to Come From Behind Against Cyprus

Montenegro’s route to three points was far less comfortable.

Cyprus went ahead through Marcus Edwards in the 55th minute.

Nikola Krstović responded in the 66th to bring Montenegro level.

The match remained tied until the 86th minute, when Milutin Osmajić completed the comeback.

The 2-1 win gives Montenegro three points alongside Armenia, although Armenia hold the early advantage on goal difference.

The importance of the response should not be underestimated.

Home teams trying to win League C groups cannot afford many defeats against direct section rivals. Montenegro went from facing an opening-night setback to beginning with maximum points in just over half an hour.

What Friday Changed in the Four Nations League Groups

Belgium and France Have Already Raised the Stakes in League A1

The League A1 picture is particularly interesting because both opening matches produced away victories.

Belgium now host France next.

Italy travel to Türkiye.

That creates two immediate pressure matches.

Belgium-France will determine whether either side can establish an early six-point advantage.

Italy-Türkiye will place two opening-night losers together with neither able to treat the second match as routine.

The compressed Nations League schedule means there is little time for tactical repair between games.

For Mancini and Zidane, Friday was only the beginning of the new job.

The difference is that one begins the next match trying to preserve momentum.

The other already needs a response.

Friday’s Biggest Individual Performances

Shea and Pierce Charles, Northern Ireland

Pierce saved Kvaratskhelia’s penalty. Shea scored the winner nine minutes into stoppage time. Few international matches will ever provide brothers with such cleanly divided match-winning roles.

Kylian Mbappé, France

France did not dominate Türkiye by scoreline, so Mbappé’s ability to convert the decisive moment mattered even more. His 64th international goal gave Zidane immediate breathing room.

Mika Godts, Belgium

Opening the scoring away to Italy placed Belgium in exactly the game state it wanted. Godts punished Italy’s mistake and forced Mancini’s side to chase.

Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, Sweden

Sweden’s attacking ceiling rises considerably when both forwards threaten in the same match. Friday supplied the first Nations League evidence that the partnership can carry a promotion campaign.

What Friday Told Us About the 2026-27 Nations League

The first lesson is that World Cup status does not carry points into the next competition.

Belgium exited the World Cup in the quarterfinals but immediately beat Italy away.

France reached the semifinals and still required one Mbappé moment to get through Türkiye.

Sweden’s uneven World Cup mattered far less than the quality of Isak and Gyökeres on Friday.

Northern Ireland did not even need territorial superiority to manufacture the night’s most memorable result.

The second lesson is about coaching transitions.

Mancini lost.

Zidane won.

Maldera won.

Gheorghe Hagi lost his Romania opener.

International football gives new coaches almost no grace period because every competitive result immediately affects a table.

The third lesson is simple: Matchday 1 has already created pressure.

Italy and Türkiye now face each other without a point.

Georgia and Hungary face teams that won away on Friday.

Romania already trail Sweden.

Latvia face a goal-difference problem before their second game.

For continuing football coverage, results and tactical analysis, follow The Sports Encounter’s soccer coverage.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Were Friday’s UEFA Nations League Results?

Belgium beat Italy 2-0, France beat Türkiye 1-0, Northern Ireland beat Georgia 1-0, Ukraine beat Hungary 1-0, Sweden beat Romania 2-1, Armenia beat Latvia 2-0, Montenegro beat Cyprus 2-1, and Poland drew 0-0 with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Who Scored for Belgium Against Italy?

Mika Godts scored in the 21st minute and Dodi Lukébakio added the second in the 69th.

Did France Win Zinedine Zidane’s First Match?

Yes. France defeated Türkiye 1-0 in Zidane’s first match as national-team coach.

Who Scored France’s Goal Against Türkiye?

Kylian Mbappé scored in the 54th minute from a Michael Olise assist.

What Happened to Mbappé?

UEFA reported that Mbappé suffered an injury during the move in which he scored. The extent of the problem was not yet clear immediately after the match.

How Did Northern Ireland Beat Georgia?

Pierce Charles saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s second-half penalty before Shea Charles scored the winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

Who Scored for Sweden Against Romania?

Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres scored for Sweden. Dennis Man scored Romania’s goal.

Who Scored Ukraine’s Winner Against Hungary?

Danylo Sikan headed Ukraine’s winning goal in the 42nd minute from Georgiy Sudakov’s cross.

Who Leads Group B4 After Matchday 1?

Sweden lead with three points after beating Romania. Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina have one point each.

Who Leads Group C2?

Armenia and Montenegro both have three points, with Armenia ahead on goal difference after its 2-0 win over Latvia.