Slow-start dents Ghana's record at U-20 World Cup

Ghana suffered their first defeat in a group game at a FIFA U-20 World Cup as the Black Satellites lost 3-1 to France on Friday in Turkey.

Sellas Tetteh's side will have to pick the pieces before their next game against Spain on Monday.

Prior to kicking off their Group A campaign at the 2013 finals, the Black Satellites had never lost a group game in their World Cup history but were undone after 65 minutes when the Les Bleuets turned on the pressure against the 2009 World champions.

Substitute Richmond Boakye Yiadom's 85th minute goal could not haul Ghana back into the game as the French had already taken a commanding 3-0 lead.

Geoffrey Kondogbia, unmarked in the Ghanaian box, nodded in the opener from a long throw-in.

Three minutes later, Yaya Sanogo was put through shot beyond the helpless Eric Antwi.

And with 11 minutes remaining, the French made in three-nil Jean Christophe Bahebeck before Ghana got a consolation through Boakye-Yiadom.