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France produced a memorable comeback to beat Belgium 3-2 and reach the UEFA Nations League finals on Thursday.
Second-half goals from Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe and Theo Hernandez wiped out a 2-0 deficit and consigned the Red Devils to yet another heartbreak.
Yannick Carrasco broke the deadlock with a composed finish in the 37th minute before Romelu Lukaku doubled their advantage with a fine strike just four minutes later.
France, still reeling from their disappointing Euro 2020 campaign, were headed towards another shock exit. However, what followed after the break was truly remarkable.
The world champions conjured their best form and clawed their way into the match with quickfire goals from Benzema and Mbappe midway through the second half.
The PSG star dispatched a penalty after Youri Tielemans fouled Antoine Griezmann inside the box. There was only a four-minute gap between his and Benzema's goals.
With the clock winding down and the prospect of extra-time looming, Hernandez popped up with a 90th-minute winner for Les Blues. Following a quick counter-attack, the AC Milan star came into possession just outside the area. Instead of passing it to Benzema, who was unmarked, he went for goal himself and powered home a sensational strike.
The comeback was complete. Belgium were stunned, and France were elated.
Didier Deschamps' side will face Spain in the finals on Sunday. Meanwhile, Belgium will take on Italy in the third-place playoffs.
Here are the hits and flops from the crazy encounter in Turin:
Hit: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Belgium's playmaking wizard Kevin De Bruyne worked his magic once again on Thursday. He created both of his side's goals in the first half, giving them huge momentum going into the break.
The Manchester City star read the game brilliantly and knitted together passes that kept his side on the front foot in the opening half. Both of his assists in the game were simple yet sublime.
Following some neat exchanges, De Bruyne squared the ball to Yannick Carrasco, who was completely unmarked on the left. The Atletico Madrid star then burst into the box and fired a low drive that took a deflection on its way into the net.
De Bruyne repeated the feat just a few minutes later as he found Romelu Lukaku on the right. The striker converted his teammate's pass with a fine effort.
Those were De Bruyne's 41st and 42nd assists in Belgian colors.
Flop: Benjamin Pavard (France)
It's been a while since Benjamin Pavard truly impressed for France, with his World Cup heroics now looking like a distant memory.
The defender endured another tough outing on Thursday as Belgium caught him out on the break a few times. This was exemplified in the build-up to the Red Devils' first goal as he failed to close down on Carrasco. While desperately trying to make a block, the Bayern Munich star saw the ball go through his legs instead.
In 89 minutes of action, he failed to make a single clearance, block or interception, showing what a non-factor he was defensively. His performance very nearly cost France the match.
Hit: Kylian Mbappe (France)
Kylian Mbappe burnished his credentials as France's Golden Boy with his scintillating performance on Thursday. He ran the show for the world champions and even dispatched a penalty.
The PSG ace started the match slowly and didn't see much of the ball. He even fired a half-chance wide during the opening exchanges. However, the 22-year-old returned from the break like a man possessed.
Adventerous and hard-working, Mbappe was part of almost every good play from France in the second half. His link-up with Karim Benzema was especially devastating, cutting open Belgium on numerous occasions.
When the opportunity to score finally came, Mbappe took it with both hands. Looking to atone for his miss at Euro 2020, the Frenchman clinically dispatched his penalty in the 69th minute.
The goal not only brought France level in the match but further shifted momentum in his side's favor. The Blues went on to score their third goal to complete a memorable comeback.
In addition to his goal and assist, Mbappe finished the match with nine successful dribbles, two key passes and 12 ground duels won.
Flop: Youri Tielemans (Belgium)
Youri Tielemans was a pale shadow of himself against France. Completely off the pace and sloppy in possession, the midfielder was just not in his element. He was often caught out as Les Blues repeatedly targeted him in the second half.
If that wasn't enough, Tielemans conceded the penalty that allowed the world champions back into the match. Replays showed that he kicked Antoine Griezmann before the Frenchman made contact with the ball.
After a close evaluation on the pitchside monitor, the match official gave France a spot-kick. Mbappe clinically dispatched the penalty to make it 2-2, bringing the match on level terms again.
Overall, it was a disappointing performance from Tielemans.
Hit: Karim Benzema (France)
Karim Benzema's whirlwind second innings with France continued with a fine strike in yet another top-billing clash. It was his first international goal since scoring four times at Euro 2020.
The Real Madrid ace worked extremely hard all night, trying to win the ball and pushing his side forward. He worked very well with Mbappe as the pair forged a deadly partnership.
Most importantly, Benzema put France on their way to a fairytale victory with a sublime effort. Receiving a pass from his PSG counterpart, he tiptoed his way through a tight space before smashing the ball into the far post.
That was his 32nd strike for France as he surpassed his former boss Zinedine Zidane on Les Bleus' all-time top scorers' list. He is now only 19 goals behind the all-time French top-scorer, Thierry Henry.
