France 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast in World Cup warm-up

France suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast in a World Cup warm-up match on Thursday, marking an unexpected setback less than two weeks before the tournament begins. The match, played at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, saw France take the lead before a second-half comeback from the African side.

Rayan Cherki gave France the lead just before halftime with a skillful individual effort, cutting inside from the right and firing a shot into the far corner. The host nation appeared in control but unraveled after the break following numerous substitutions. Ivory Coast equalized in the 53rd minute through Guéla Doué, who later provided the cross for Amad Diallo to tap in the winning goal with six minutes remaining in regulation.

France created several chances throughout the contest, with Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana making key saves to deny Kylian Mbappé and others. The defeat ends a nine-match unbeaten streak for France and is their first loss in a pre-tournament friendly before a major competition since a 1-0 defeat to China ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

Head coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged his team lost control after halftime. He stated that a defeat is never...