Burnley's Maxwel Cornet is late substitute against World champions

Burnley’s Maxwel Cornet was a late substitute as Ivory Coast lost 2-1 to World champions France in Marseille on Friday night.
By Chris Boden
Published 26th Mar 2022, 07:28 BST
Updated 26th Mar 2022, 07:30 BST
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The Clarets’ top-scorer, as for the majority of the Africa Cup of Nations, had to settle for a place on the bench at the Stade Vélodrome in the Elephants’ friendly international.

Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe gave Ivory Coast the lead after 19 minutes, before AC Milan frontman Olivier Giroud levelled matters three minutes later.

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Cornet came on for Pepe with six minutes remaining, but Monaco’s Aurélien Tchouameni claimed the winner for France in the third minute of injury time.

France's forward Christopher Nkunku (L) fights for the ball with Ivory Coast's forward Maxwel Cornet during the friendly football match between France and Ivory Coast at the Velodrome Stadium in Marseille, southern France, on March 25, 2022. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)France's forward Christopher Nkunku (L) fights for the ball with Ivory Coast's forward Maxwel Cornet during the friendly football match between France and Ivory Coast at the Velodrome Stadium in Marseille, southern France, on March 25, 2022. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
France's forward Christopher Nkunku (L) fights for the ball with Ivory Coast's forward Maxwel Cornet during the friendly football match between France and Ivory Coast at the Velodrome Stadium in Marseille, southern France, on March 25, 2022. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Cornet will hope for more game time at Wembley on Tuesday night as Ivory Coast face England – and potentially Nick Pope – for the first time, kick-off 7-45 p.m.

Pope is with the Three Lions for their two friendlies at Wembley, the first against Switzerland on Saturday, March 26th (kick-off 5-30 p.m.).

Also on duty on Saturday, March 26th, is Clarets striker Wout Weghorst, with the Netherlands.

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Louis Van Gaal’s side host Denmark in Amsterdam (kick-off 7-45 p.m.), and then take on Germany on Tuesday, March 29th (kick-off 7-45 p.m.), again at the Amsterdam ArenA.

And the Republic of Ireland, with Nathan Collins in the squad, have two friendlies, both at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

The Irish host Belgium on Saturday, March 26th (kick-off 5 p.m.), before entertaining Lithuania on Tuesday, March 29th (kick-off 7-45 p.m).

Also on Tuesday night, Wales duo Wayne Hennessey and Connor Roberts – who helped the Red Dragons reach the World Cup play-off final after a 2-1 win over Austria on Thursday night with two superb goals from Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale – will be with the squad who host the Czech Republic, again at Cardiff in a friendly on Tuesday night, kick-off 7-45 p.m.

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The Czechs,without Matej Vydra after he recently dislocated his elbow in training with Burnley, lost their World Cup play-off semi-final 1-0 to an extra time goal from Sweden’s Robin Quaison of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

Hennessey, if he features, will earn his 100th cap for his country – he is already Wales’ most capped goalkeeper.

Related topics:FranceBurnley