Belgium feast on French toast

Paris: Belgium lived up to their billing as second only to world champions Germany in the Fifa rankings with a tougher than expected 4-3 victory over France, at the Stade de France in Paris on Sunday.

Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini gave Marc Wilmot’s side a 2-0 half-time lead, with goals in the 17th and 42nd minutes, before second half strikes from Radja Nainggolan and Eden Hazard appeared to have put the result beyond doubt.

Dynamo Moscow’s Mathieu Valbuena scored for the home side from the penalty spot on 53 minutes, just before Chelsea’s Hazard slotted home from a penalty moments later.

At 4-1 up and only minutes remaining, the visitors looked to be in complete control.

But Nabil Fekir pulled France back to 4-2 down with his first international goal in the dying minutes when he fired past Thibaut Courtois and Dimitri Payet added an injury time third for the battling French.

However it was too little too late as Belgium held on for a rare away victory over their next-door neighbours. France have now conceded seven goals in their last three matches.

With the Copa America starting this week, Brazil were looking to get into gear for the continental championship by reconnecting with home fans after an eight-match run of friendly away wins under coach Dunga.

Dunga, Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning skipper, led the five-times world champions to the 2007 Copa title. He began a second spell in charge last July replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari, who stepped down following the Auriverde’s World Cup semifinal thrashing by Germany.

Sunday’s game was Brazil’s first back on home soil since losing Scolari’s last match at the helm, 3-0 to the Netherlands, in the World Cup match for third place.