SouthernWorldwide.com – In a surprising turn of events during pre-World Cup friendly matches, Ivory Coast secured a remarkable 2-1 victory over France, while Spain was held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq.
The match between France and Ivory Coast saw Guela Doué emerge as a pivotal figure, scoring one goal and assisting the decisive strike. This victory came as a significant upset, particularly as Doué’s brother, Désiré Doué, is part of the French squad.
Amad Diallo netted the winning goal for Ivory Coast six minutes before the end of the match, converting a low cross from Guela Doué. The game was played at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.
France had initially taken the lead in the final minute of the first half. Rayan Cherki broke through, leaving two defenders behind before slotting a low shot past goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.
Fofana had a busy evening, making crucial saves to deny French attackers Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Cherki on multiple occasions.
However, Guela Doué, whose brother Désiré plays for France, managed to equalize eight minutes into the second half. He received a through ball from Nicolas Pépé, demonstrating a strong performance against his brother’s team.
The match held a special significance for Ivory Coast’s manager, Emerse Faé, who was born in Nantes. His return to his hometown as a coach for a significant match added a personal narrative to the event.
The atmosphere in the stadium was also marked by tributes to the departing French coach, Didier Deschamps. Fans displayed posters thanking him for his successful tenure, which began in 2012 and included a World Cup win in 2018 and a runner-up finish in 2022. His time with the French national team is set to conclude after the upcoming World Cup.
Deschamps opted to rest several key players who had recently participated in the Champions League final. These included Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, Warren Zaire-Emery, Désiré Doué, Lucas Hernandez, and William Saliba, who were all on the bench at the start of the match. Hernandez, Zaïre-Emery, and Barcola were later introduced as substitutes in the second half.
France has one more friendly scheduled, a match against Northern Ireland in Lille on Monday, before they depart for the United States for the World Cup.
Their World Cup campaign is set to begin on June 16 against Senegal in New Jersey.
Ivory Coast will face Ecuador in their opening match on June 14 in Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, Spain, another team considered a favorite for the World Cup, experienced a setback with a 1-1 draw against Iraq in La Coruña.
Playing without forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, Spain managed to take the lead in the 16th minute through a goal from Ferran Torres.
Iraq equalized before the half-hour mark. Merchas Doski scored with a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area, beating goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, expressed optimism that Lamine Yamal will be fit to play in the team’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15.
De la Fuente also rested several players who were involved in the Champions League final, including David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, and Fabián Ruiz. Mikel Merino, who had been dealing with a recent injury, came on as a substitute in the match.
Spain’s final tune-up game is scheduled against Peru in Mexico on Monday.
Iraq is set to play Norway in their World Cup opener in Massachusetts on June 16.
