Ivory Coast continued their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in impressive fashion by defeating France 2-1 in an international friendly on Thursday night at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.
The encounter provided both nations with a valuable test ahead of the World Cup, as coaches used the match to evaluate their squads and fine-tune preparations for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
France opened the scoring just before halftime through Rayan Cherki. The talented attacker struck from the edge of the penalty area in the 45th minute, sending his effort into the left corner to put Les Bleus ahead.
The goal appeared to give the hosts control of the match heading into the break, but Ivory Coast returned with renewed determination in the second half.
The visitors found their equaliser in the 53rd minute through Guela Doue to restore parity to the contest. The goal shifted momentum in Ivory Coast’s favour as the Elephants began to grow in confidence against the former world champions.
With the match heading towards its conclusion, Ivory Coast delivered the decisive blow in the 84th minute. Guela Doue turned provider with a well-weighted pass to Amad Diallo, who showed excellent composure inside the box before firing into the bottom left corner.
The goal sealed a memorable comeback victory and handed Ivory Coast a significant boost ahead of the World Cup.
Both teams will now turn their focus to their remaining preparations before embarking on their respective World Cup campaigns later this month.
At the World Cup, France are drawn in Group I to face Senegal, Iraq and Norway. Ivory Coast, on the other hand, are in Group E alongside Curacao, Germany, and Ecuador.
