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France national football team
International Friendlies
Mar 23, 2018 at 8pm UK
 
Colombia national football team

2-3

Giroud (11'), Lemar (26')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Muriel (28'), Falcao (62'), Quintero (85' pen.)

France surrender two-goal lead in defeat to Colombia

Colombia come from behind to stun France
© Offside
France surrender a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 in their international friendly clash with Colombia in Paris.

Colombia came from two goals down to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory away against France in Friday evening's friendly international at the Stade de France in Paris.

The hosts took the lead with their first meaningful attack of the night as Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud capitalised on a blunder from his former Arsenal teammate David Ospina to break the deadlock in the 11th minute.

The Colombian goalkeeper parried Lucas Digne's cross straight to the feet of the ex-Gunner, who made no mistake from close range, lashing home his 30th international goal.

France failed to create any further goalscoring opportunities in the moments following their opener, but Antoine Griezmann did have a pop at goal straight from a free kick he won 25 yards out, putting his effort into the stands.

Les Bleus doubled their advantage courtesy of an impressive team goal in the 28th minute, with Griezmann and Paris Saint-Germain starlet Kylian Mbappe combining to carve out a chance for Monaco's Thomas Lemar, who fired into the bottom corner to cap off the break.

Colombia were back in the game one minute later against the run of play when Hugo Lloris misjudged Luis Muriel's cross under pressure from Davinson Sanchez, allowing the ball to bounce beyond him and into the net.

The visitors offered more resistance after pulling a goal back, but the French should have taken a two-goal advantage into the interval as Mbappe's ball to Griezmann left the Atletico Madrid man with only the goalkeeper to beat, only for Ospina to absorb the shot.

The South Americans looked like a different side in the second period, moving the ball around dangerously in the opening stages and testing Lloris first through James Rodriguez and later via Muriel.

Neither could find a way past the Tottenham Hotspur stopper, but that changed just after the hour mark when James played a square pass across the face of goal for Monaco's Radamel Falcao to smash into the back of the net from close range for the equalising goal.

Colombia's unlikely comeback was completed from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Samuel Umtiti was adjudged to have hauled Jefferson Lerma to the ground in the area.

Juan Fernando Quintero stepped up and sent Lloris the wrong way from 12 yards to inflict upon France only their second defeat since Euro 2016.

FRANCE (4-4-2): Lloris; Sidibe, Varane, Umtiti, Digna (Hernandez 22'); Mbappe (Dembele 66'), Matuidi (Pogba 65'), Kante, Lemar; Giroud (Ben Yedder 73'), Griezmann (Thauvin 83')

COLOMBIA (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Arias, Sanchez, Mina, Fabra; Sanchez, Aguilar (Lerma 67'); Muriel (Izquierdo 77'), Rodriguez (Quintero 83'), Uribe (Barrios 90'); Falcao (Zapata 68')

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Mark Langshaw
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