France Falls to Ivory Coast in First Test Before the World Cup

The French national team began its final preparations for the World Cup with a 2-1 loss to the Ivory Coast team in a friendly match held in the city of Nantes.

The French took the lead first through Rayan Cherki in the first half, before the Ivorian team managed to turn the score around in the second half.

The Ivory Coast national team returned to the match atmosphere with an equalizing goal scored by Ghila Doi, before Amad Diallo secured the win for the visitors with a second goal in the 84th minute, granting his team a significant moral victory ahead of the start of the world championship.

The match witnessed a notable incident when referee Sebastian Gishamer was injured after colliding with Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessié, leading to a temporary halt in play for treatment before he was able to continue the game.

This loss comes just days before the start of the World Cup, as France prepares to compete in Group Nine, which includes Senegal, Iraq, and Norway, while the Ivory Coast national team returns to the World Cup for the first time since 2014, with ambitions for a strong showing in Group Five.