Belgium made the key move before halftime and turned that opening-period lead into the winning margin. With the first half ending 1-0, France went into the interval chasing the game and needing a response in the second period.
That reply did arrive after the restart, but Belgium stayed level with France across the second half at 1-1, which kept the overall result in their favor. In simple terms, the second period did not erase the damage France had allowed before the break, and Belgium managed the game well enough to close it out.
The split scoreline offers the clearest reading of the contest. Belgium were sharper where it mattered early on, while France could only match them after halftime rather than overturn them. Those are the essential stats from a tight encounter, and they frame the main highlights of the night: a strong Belgian start, a French pushback, and a finish that left the scoreboard reading 2-1.
In summary, Belgium took their chance in the first half and protected that advantage well enough through the rest of the match. France improved after the interval, but the recovery was not enough to change the final outcome.