France brush off Ivory Coast loss, call it timely World Cup reminder

By Julien Pretot

France brushed aside concerns after suffering a surprise 2-1 defeat by Ivory Coast in a World Cup warm-up match on Thursday, insisting the setback would serve as a useful reminder rather than a cause for alarm ahead of the tournament.

Didier Deschamps’s side led through a superb first-half goal from Rayan Cherki in Nantes but were overrun after the break as Guela Doue and Amad Diallo turned the game around for the Elephants.

With France opening their World Cup campaign against Senegal in New York on June 16, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said the result should be viewed in the context of preparations rather than as a warning sign.

“It’s a pity to lose but we’re in a preparation phase, we stay confident,” Tchouameni said.

“There is no conclusion to draw from this game, even if we had won it. We will be ready.”

France fielded an experimental side, with several Paris St Germain players rested after last weekend’s Champions League final triumph and made numerous changes after halftime.

Defender Lucas Hernandez also played down the significance of the defeat.

“We always want to win but we’re in a phase of preparation and there were a lot of substitutions,” Hernandez said. “We’re in good spirits.”

Deschamps, however, admitted his side had lost control of the contest after an encouraging opening 45 minutes and warned that France would face opponents with similar qualities in the US.

“A defeat is never pleasant, even if we did some good things in the first half,” the coach said.

“In the second half we made a lot of changes but that’s no excuse. We were not as good after the break and they brought a lot of pace.

“We will face the same type of team on June 16.”

Deschamps said the result could prove useful if it prevented his players from becoming complacent before the tournament.

It’s a little warning, and I can tell you we’re not going to the World Cup thinking we’re favourites but we’re going to crush everyone

—  Rayan Cherki

“It’s a reminder, if we needed one, not to think we’re better than we are,” he said.

Cherki added: “It’s a little warning, and I can tell you we’re not going to the World Cup thinking we’re favourites but we’re going to crush everyone.”

Doue haunted his brother’s national team as he scored once and set up the winner to fire Ivory Coast to a shock comeback victory.

The 23-year-old Strasbourg defender, older brother of France and Paris St Germain forward Desire Doue, cancelled out Cherki’s sublime opener shortly after half time before delivering the cross that Diallo converted for the winner, earning the Elephants a first-ever victory over Les Bleus.

France appeared comfortably in control after an encouraging first-half display and led through Cherki’s moment of brilliance, but Didier Deschamps’s side unravelled after the break as Ivory Coast punished a series of defensive lapses.

Les Bleus, who were on a nine-match unbeaten streak, next face Northern Ireland in a final warm-up game in Lille on Monday.