Hugo Ekitike’s hat-trick spoiled Lee Carsley’s return as England U21 coach as France beat his 10-man team 5-3 in Lorient.
James McAtee scored a quick opener but England’s lead was temporary, with goals from Quentin Merlin and Ekitike turning things around.
Harvey Elliott levelled but Ekitike, who has 13 goals for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt this season, got two more before Liam Delap’s header made it 4-3.
However, Rayan Cherki – who delivered two assists – got in on the act himself to seal the win, after Elliott had blasted a penalty over the bar.
A bad night for the visitors was capped when Omari Hutchinson came off the bench and was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Thierno Barry.
England stormed into the lead after just 90 seconds courtesy of a well-worked set-piece routine. Elliott’s corner was flicked on by Delap and the unmarked McAtee was well-positioned to smash home from close-range.
But England’s lead was short-lived and they were caught napping from the restart as the hosts levelled in the fourth minute. Cherki drilled a precise first-time pass into the path of surging left-back Merlin, who held off his marker and finished into the far corner.
Elliot Anderson looks dejected after defeat in Lorient
It was 2-1 to the hosts three minutes later when Lyon’s Cherki continued his fine creative display with an inch-perfect pass over the defence, which Ekitike finished over James Beadle.
Ekitike made it 3-1 in the 35th minute when he got the decisive touch after Wilson Odobert beat Rico Lewis on the outside and smashed a ball across the face of the box, only for Elliot to pull a goal back two minutes later with a close-range header following good work by Elliot Anderson and McAtee.
England’s shaky defence was breached again 10 minutes into the second half as Ekitike claimed his hat-trick with another tap-in.
But Delap headed in from six yards just past the hour and, when Lewis was fouled in the area, they had a chance to level. However, Elliott’s penalty was well over the bar.
Cherki completed the scoring with 14 minutes remaining with a shot through Beadle’s legs, before Hutchinson saw red five minutes from time.
