The French players were cheered on to the pitch by flag-waving fans but were booed off it an hour and a half later after Belarus substitute Sergei Kislyak netted the winner with four minutes left having converted his side's only clear chance.
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"I want to thank the fans who came here to support us," France captain Florent Malouda told the angry crowd shortly after the final whistle was blown on Les Bleus's hopes of rediscovering the pride they lost at the World Cup in June.
"It is a pity to start this campaign with a defeat."
Hopes were high that France would have closed the door on their sorry World Cup chapter, when they were knocked out in the first round after a players' revolt, and start afresh under Blanc.
France took control of the game early on, with Marseille striker Loic Remy's header going just wide from a corner kick after 17 minutes.
Florent Malouda produced France's first attempt on target when Yury Zhevnov parried away the Chelsea winger's powerful 20-metre drive on the stroke of halftime.
