Mbappé injured after scoring winner as France beat Turkey in Nations League

Kylian Mbappé limped off moments after scoring the winner as France beat 10-man Turkey 1-0 in the Nations League in Turkey on Friday. The striker fired a low shot in the 55th minute to decide the game but left the field visibly in pain.

Mbappé rifled in a low shot in the 55th minute after being set up by Michael Olise for what became his record-extending 67th France goal, then sat on the ground and rubbed the area around his left knee. Zinedine Zidane replaced Mbappé with Désiré Doué; the forward was able to walk off under his own power but Zidane said afterwards that he expects his captain to return to Real Madrid for treatment. “It’s not great. Unfortunately I think he [Mbappé] is going to have to go home. We don’t want to take any risks,” Zidane told French broadcaster TF1. “He overextended his knee while shooting. It’s not very encouraging.”

Jules Koundé struck the post for France before Turkey were reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sent off for handling the ball outside his area after Bradley Barcola had been played through on goal.

Roberto Mancini’s second debut as Italy head coach ended with the Azzurri beaten 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico by Belgium amid a barrage of boos from the home crowd. Mika Godts marked his first competitive cap with a fine individual goal after 20 minutes and Dodi Lukebakio’s powerful strike in the 69th minute put Belgium out of sight. It was an encouraging start, though, for new Belgium coach Mark van Bommel, who succeeded Rudi Garcia following the Red Devils’ run to the World Cup quarter-finals.

Northern Ireland began their Nations League campaign with a dramatic 1-0 win over Georgia in Tbilisi after Shea Charles scored in the ninth minute of time added on. Pierce Charles saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s penalty in the 65th minute — having earlier kept out Georges Mikautadze’s close-range effort — and Shea, who had missed earlier chances, scrambled home from Trai Hume’s cross to secure Northern Ireland’s first ever away win in the competition and just his second international goal.

There was a VAR check for offside before the goal could stand and a late injury blow as defender Dan Ballard pulled up clutching his hamstring in stoppage time. Michael O’Neill expressed frustration with several decisions from referee Orel Grinfeeld, including the penalty award after Ballard and Luka Locoshvili tussled in the box that led Grinfeeld to go to the VAR monitor.

Hungary lost 1-0 to Ukraine in Budapest thanks to Danylo Sikan’s goal. In Group B4, Sweden secured a 2-1 home win over Romania with Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres both on target for Graham Potter’s side, while Poland were held to a goalless draw by Bosnia and Herzegovina in Warsaw.

In Group C2, Milution Osmajic’s 86th-minute strike completed Montenegro’s comeback to beat Cyprus in Podgorica after Marcus Edwards had given the visitors the lead on his international debut and Nikola Krstovic had levelled. Armenia top the group after beating Latvia 2-0 at home earlier on Friday.

Belgium host France in their next match on Monday. Italy travel to Turkey.