BREST - Clermont's Corinne Diacre, the first female coach of a men's professional club in a major European country, got off to a losing start on Monday, her new team losing 2-1 to Brest in France's Ligue 2. The former French international defender made her bow at the Stade Francis-Le Ble in Brittany on her 40th birthday and was greeted with a bouquet of flowers and a standing ovation from the crowd. However, her team were unable to hold on to the early lead given to them by SouleymaneSawadogo as they conceded twice in the second half against one of the favourites to win promotion to Ligue 1 at the end of the campaign. "It is never nice to lose, that is for sure," Diacre, the former assistant coach of France's women's team, told Eurosport after the game.–AFP