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The ball hit the post and Belgium almost scored their fourth goal
Key moments
Recently Doku found space
Recently Doku found space, shot with his right foot, but the ball went to the goalkeeper.
Later, Belgium was offside. Jérémy Doku tried a through ball, but Youri Tielemans was offside. Belgium wins the match.
Kevin De Bruyne made space for himself in a promising Belgian attack
Kevin De Bruyne made space for himself in a promising Belgian attack, hooked in, shot with his right foot, but the ball was controlled perfectly by Gianluigi Donnarumma. There is no new goal in the game.
Youri Tielemans asks for the ball as if it
Youri Tielemans asks for the ball as if it were his and distributes it calmly, with one touch, seeking to open the field towards Castagne and Seys. Italy is not there and Belgium is dominating all aspects of the commitment.
Goal!
Goal!
Goal!
Goal!
The first shot on goal of the match belongs to Italy
The first shot on goal of the match belongs to Italy, who dared to make a great play. Shot saved by Niccolò Pisilli, who fired a left-footed shot from point-blank range, which ended up in the hands of the Belgian goalkeeper.
Not much happens at the beginning of the game
Not much happens at the beginning of the game. Both teams study each other and seek to get into goal position through quick movements. Italy defends correctly and does not allow ball mobility to the locals.
The match begins
The central referee gives the order and the UEFA Nations League match, Belgium vs Italy, live and direct, officially begins. Italy takes the first possession of the ball, while Belgium advances its lines to steal the ball more easily.
Kickoff at Stade Roi Baudouin
The UEFA Nations League clash at Stade Roi Baudouin is underway in the first half, with Belgium 0-0 Italy at the 1' mark. Possession is split 50%-50% early on, while the hosts have registered one attack and completed eight passes at 88% accuracy compared to one pass for Italy.
How to watch Belgium vs Italy Live Stream, TV Channel & Kick-off Times
Here are the official kick-off times, TV channels and live stream options to watch Belgium vs Italy in UEFA Nations League across major English-speaking regions:
- USA: 2:45 PM EST / 11:45 AM PST - TV & Live Stream on ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock, fuboTV.
- UK & Ireland: 7:45 PM GMT - Watch live on Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Discovery+.
- South Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda): 9:45 PM SAST (8:45 PM WAT in Nigeria / 10:45 PM EAT in Kenya & Uganda) - Broadcast on SuperSport, DStv Stream.
- Canada: 2:45 PM EST / 11:45 AM PST - Live streaming on DAZN Canada, FuboTV Canada, TSN.
- Australia & New Zealand: 6:45 AM AEDT (8:45 AM NZDT in New Zealand) - Watch live on Optus Sport, beIN Sports Australia, Stan Sport.
- UAE & MENA (Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar): 11:45 PM GST (10:45 PM AST in Saudi Arabia & Qatar) - Broadcast on beIN Sports English, TOD.
- India, Malaysia & Singapore: 1:15 AM IST (3:45 AM MYT/SGT in Malaysia & Singapore) - Watch on Sony LIV, Star Sports (India), Astro SuperSport (Malaysia).
For real-time Belgium vs Italy live score updates, confirmed starting lineups, match stats and minute-by-minute commentary, follow VAVEL right here.
Italy starting lineup
Mancini made it clear that he is not here to speculate on a tie. He puts a line of three up top with Pisilli, Pio Esposito and Koleosho, without Dimarco or another more conservative winger, and a high-quality midfielder with Barella, Tonali and Fagioli, who comes in for Frattesi. The defense is the usual one, with Kayode, Scalvini, Bastoni and Calafiori, and Donnarumma as captain.
Belgium starting lineup
Van Bommel is playing with an offensive eleven and without a classic center forward. Lukaku, who arrived injured, remains on the bench with Trossard, Lukebakio and Godts, all with the ability to change the game in the second half. Up top, De Bruyne, Moreira, Doku and De Ketelaere have mobility and association, although they can be left without reference in the area. Behind, the couple Mechele and Ngoy in the axis is the biggest unknown.
Arbitration and transmission
The central referee assigned by UEFA to judge this match is Norwegian Espen Eskås, and VAR will be in use. On television, the match is broadcast on Disney+ Premium in South America, in Spain on DAZN and, in several countries, on ESPN.
Forecasts
The bookmakers give Belgium a small advantage for playing at home. They won six of their last eight home games with an average of 3.5 goals per game. The predictions are distributed: one portal sees a 1-1 and another leans towards a 2-1 in favor of Italy. With a draw it works for Italy and not for Belgium, so the usual script would be a home team that attacks and a visitor that protects itself.
History
The record favors the Italians, although the last blow was Belgian. In 16 recent meetings, Belgium has won four, Italy seven and there have been five draws. In the last edition of this competition, Italy and Belgium drew 2-2 in October 2024 and the Italians won 1-0 in November. In the last match, the Belgians generated 2.76 expected goals compared to 1.70 for the Italians. That number gives an idea that Rome's 2-0 win was no coincidence.
There is good and bad news
Romeo Lavia has already served his suspension and is available, while Romelu Lukaku missed the match against Türkiye due to hip discomfort and remains in doubt. Jeremy Doku, who did not play in the first four games of the tournament, showed in Türkiye that he can be an important player. Van Bommel could also get Lukebakio and Trossard back on the wings. A probable eleven includes Lammens in goal, Castagne, Theate, Mechele and De Cuyper at the back, and a midfield with Lavia, Tielemans and De Bruyne, with Doku, Godts and De Ketelaere further up. Kevin De Bruyne was the figure in September's victory, and is once again the reference.
Belgium and the need to win
Mark van Bommel's team arrives with its head set on the result. Last month they lost 4-1 against France after conceding four goals in the last fifteen minutes, a defeat that complicated their group. But he responded just in time. On Thursday they won 2-1 in Türkiye, coming back with two goals in four minutes. With eight goals for and six against, it is a team that defends itself regularly and lives off what those at the top do.
The Italian absences
The coach arrives in Brussels with more doubts than certainties in the eleven. Davide Frattesi was injured against France and will not play. Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Giacomo Raspadori, Moise Kean and Nicolò Zaniolo were already missing, and defender Gianluca Mancini was dropped from the squad before the FIFA date. Antonio Vergara could occupy the right wing in place of Cambiaghi, and Federico Dimarco may have to play at left back if Calafiori is not fit. According to the live broadcast of Football Italia, Mancini opted for Luca Koleosho and Niccolò Pisilli alongside Pio Esposito in attack, with the idea of going for the match and not just the draw. Before the match, the coach also had a gesture with the victims of the Heysel tragedy, an inevitable memory in this stadium.
The Italians arrive with a high level
On the previous day, Italy turned around Michael Olise's opening goal and beat France 3-1, marking their first home win against the French since 1962. Francesco Pio Esposito scored twice. The least beautiful side of the team is the defense. He has scored 11 goals in five games, but has not kept a clean sheet even once.
The table, with three tight teams
Italy leads with 10 points and a good difference of +5, France has the same 10 points with +3 and Belgium is third with 9 and +2, while Turkey closed the line without any unit. Italy has an advantage over France due to direct history, and that is why, by winning, it secures first place. For Belgium, the worst possible finish is third place, so they are not at risk of being relegated directly, but they are at risk of being left out of the fight for the tournament.
What is defined
The situation is simple to explain and difficult to live with. A draw is enough for the Italians to get into the quarterfinals, while the Belgians have no choice but to win if they want to stay alive. And there is one more nuance: Italy would also qualify if France loses at home against Türkiye, although no one sees it as a realistic scenario with the Turks without a single point.
Recent meetings between Belgium and Italy
Across their last 3 official clashes, per the Belgium vs Italy head-to-head record and match center, the balance stands at 1 win for Belgium, 1 draw and 1 win for Italy:
- 2026: Italy 0–2 Belgium
- 2024: Belgium 0–1 Italy
- 2024: Italy 2–2 Belgium
Belgium
Belgium arrives with 9 points, one behind Italy and France, with three wins and two losses in five matches, knowing that only a victory will suffice. With Mark van Bommel at the helm, their record has been inconsistent.
Recent history
The last time these two teams met was on November 14, 2024, at this same stadium, with Italy winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Sandro Tonali in the 11th minute, in front of 41,367 spectators. Belgium is looking for revenge on home soil.
Italy
Coached by Roberto Mancini, Italy is coming off a 3-1 victory against France on Thursday the 12th, with a brace from Pio Esposito. Even so, that win wasn't enough to secure their qualification, so they're playing for everything today. They are an attacking team: according to statistics, they've had 29 or more shots in each of their last five League A matches. In the FIFA rankings, Italy is number 15.
King Baudouin Stadium
The King Baudouin Stadium is the national stadium of Belgium, located in Brussels. It is the largest sports venue in the country and the home of the Belgian national football team, the Red Devils. It stands on the Heysel Plateau, northwest of the city and next to the Atomium, at 135/2 Avenue Marathon. It belongs to the City of Brussels and is easily accessible by metro on line 6, with the Heysel and Roi Baudouin stations nearby.
Its history begins in 1930. It was inaugurated on August 23 of that year as the Centenary Stadium (Jubelstadion), to celebrate the centenary of Belgian independence and to add prestige to the 1935 Brussels International Exposition. The architect was Joseph Van Neck, and it had a capacity of approximately 70,000 people. In 1946 it was renamed Heysel Stadium, and in 1971 an athletics track was added. New floodlights were installed in 1974.
There is a dark chapter in that era. On May 29, 1985, before the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus, the Heysel disaster occurred, in which 39 people died, most of them Juventus fans. Several sources recall that UEFA had inspected the stadium for barely half an hour, despite warnings about its poor condition. After that, the stadium remained unused for international football for years.
Belgium vs Italy live: result, starting lineups and statistics
Follow Belgium vs Italy live: live score, confirmed lineups, points, match statistics and minute-by-minute coverage from the stadium on VAVEL.com. We'll update you again a few minutes before kickoff.
After five rounds, the group table looks like this
Italy leads the group with 10 points, having won 3, drawn 1, and lost 1, with 11 goals for and 6 against. France also has 10 points, with the same record (3-1-1) but 8 goals for and 5 against, giving Italy the advantage on goal difference. Belgium is third with 9 points, having won 3 and lost 2, with 8 goals for and 6 against. Turkey is at the bottom of the group with no points: five losses, 3 goals for and 13 against.
What each team must face
Each team plays six matches, home and away, against the other three. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, played from March 25 to 30, 2027, and the four group winners reach the final stage, from June 9 to 13, 2027. In the quarterfinals, the group winner faces the runner-up from another group, with the second leg played at home. The fourth-placed team in each group goes to a relegation playoff against a team from League B.
What's at stake
It will be a hard-fought day. Italy and France both have 10 points, while Belgium has 9, and only the top two advance to the quarterfinals. That's why several media outlets are calling it a do-or-die match. France plays against Turkey, who haven't earned a single point, so Belgium and Italy are essentially battling for second place. The loser is eliminated, with a defeat potentially knocking them out of the final stage altogether.
Hello everyone
Hello everyone, welcome to VAVEL.com's live coverage of the UEFA Nations League match, Belgium vs Italy.
My name is Esteban Monsalve, and I'll be your host for this match. We'll bring you pre-match analysis, score updates, and live news right here on VAVEL.
The ball hit the post and Belgium almost scored their fourth goal of the game. Romeo Lavia finished with his head and hit the ball against the post, denying the goal on this occasion. It was a very clear play to score.