Mbappé Injury Scare Overshadows France Win As Belgium Stun Italy
Kylian Mbappé scored and then went off with an apparent knee injury as France beat Türkiye 1-0, while Belgium spoiled Roberto Mancini's return by beating Italy in Rome on a busy night of Nations League openers.
France win but Mbappé limps off
France beat Türkiye 1-0 in their Group A opener, though the night ended with concern over their captain.
Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal in the 54th minute, converting a low shot after being set up by Michael Olise. Moments later he went down holding his left knee and was substituted, having played 59 minutes in total, though he was able to walk off the pitch unaided. New France coach Zinedine Zidane will assess the injury before the squad's next fixture.
Belgium spoil Mancini's return in Rome
In the same group, Belgium beat Italy 2-0 at the Olimpico to hand Roberto Mancini a defeat on his return to the Italy dugout.
Mika Godts opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Dodi Lukébakio doubled the lead in the 69th, condemning the hosts to a losing start.
Sweden hold off Romania fightback
Sweden beat Romania 2-1 in Group B. Alexander Isak put the hosts ahead in the 20th minute, and Dennis Man levelled for Romania with a volley in the 29th before Viktor Gyökeres restored Sweden's lead in first-half stoppage time, converting the rebound after Lucas Bergvall's shot was saved.
Elsewhere in the group, Poland were held 0-0 by Bosnia and Herzegovina in Warsaw.
Northern Ireland strike deep into stoppage time
Northern Ireland won 1-0 away to Georgia in Group B, with Shea Charles scrambling home a stoppage-time winner from Trai Hume's cross in the ninth minute of added time — the country's first ever away win in the competition.
In the same group, Ukraine beat Hungary 1-0 through Danylo Sikan's 42nd-minute goal.
Montenegro come from behind, Armenia win in Yerevan
Montenegro beat Cyprus 2-1 in Group C. Cyprus took the lead in the first half before Nikola Krstović equalised from the penalty spot, and Milutin Osmajić struck the winner in the 86th minute.
Armenia beat Latvia 2-0 in the same group, with Georgi Harutyunyan (31') and Artur Gharibyan (75') both scoring their first senior international goals.
Results
* Türkiye 0-1 France * Italy 0-2 Belgium * Sweden 2-1 Romania * Poland 0-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina * Georgia 0-1 Northern Ireland * Hungary 0-1 Ukraine * Montenegro 2-1 Cyprus * Armenia 2-0 Latvia
Photo: X-@equipedefrance