Mbappe injury mars Zidane’s winning France debut as Mancini’s Italy lose

Kylian Mbappe’s injury overshadowed Zinedine Zidane’s first match as France coach as they secured a 1-0 victory over Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on Friday.

Mbappe scored nine minutes into the second half of the League A, Group 1 match at Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, more than 100 kilometres outside Istanbul. However, the France captain appeared to hurt himself while taking the shot and was in obvious discomfort when he was substituted several minutes later.

The Real Madrid forward initially tried to continue, but Zidane said the injury was serious enough for Mbappe to return home rather than remain with the squad for France’s next three Nations League matches over the next 10 days.

“It’s not great. Unfortunately I think he’s going to have to go home. We don’t want to take any risks,” Zidane told broadcaster TF1.

“He overextended his knee while shooting. It’s not very encouraging.”

Zidane, a France great who helped the country win the 1998 World Cup, was appointed in late July as Didier Deschamps’ successor. The victory was his first match in charge of Les Bleus.

France held on after Mbappe’s departure, while Turkey were reduced to 10 players late in the game. Goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sent off for handling outside his penalty area as he raced from his goal to stop Bradley Barcola.

France are next scheduled to face Belgium in Brussels on Monday and are expected to be without their captain.

Mancini return ends in defeat

Roberto Mancini’s return as Italy manager was spoiled by Belgium, who won 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Belgium were playing for the first time since their World Cup quarter-final defeat by eventual champions Spain. Mika Godts of Paris Saint-Germain put them ahead in the 20th minute before substitute Dodi Lukebakio doubled the lead with a strike from outside the penalty area after the interval.

Asked whether Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup was still affecting the country, Mancini said: “We need to think positively and not keep banging on all the time about what has happened in the past.

“In any case we can’t change what happened now.”

Mancini, who previously led Italy from 2018 to 2023 and guided them to Euro 2020 success, said the boos from a crowd of almost 50,000 were “normal” and “part of the game”.

Elsewhere, Shea Charles of Fulham scored in deep stoppage time as Northern Ireland won 1-0 in Georgia in Group B2. PSG forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had earlier missed a penalty for the hosts.

Danylo Sikan gave Ukraine a 1-0 win in Hungary, despite Oleksandr Nazarenko being sent off late on.

Robert Lewandowski captained Poland in a goalless draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B4. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres scored as Sweden beat Romania 2-1 in Stockholm.

Armenia and Montenegro also won in League C.

The Nations League continues on Saturday, when England host Spain in Spain’s first match since they won the World Cup in July.