France, who are top of the table with three points, next take on Albania on Wednesday. It is certainly between Romania defence and France attack.
Advertisement
Payet was France’s standout performer throughout as he also set up Olivier Giroud’s opening goal.
It was a Payet cross that set up Giroud’s header to put France ahead as the Arsenal striker nabbed his eighth goal in his last six global matches. The Leicester City midfielder, who rose to fame in the Premier League this season, was literally everywhere, winning the ball back from unlikely positions, covering the entire breadth of the pitch to do so.
A reaction finally came in the 11th minute when Giroud’s header from a Payet cross went just wide.
And Payet was in tears moments later when he rightly left the field to a standing ovation to be replaced by Moussa Sissoko in stoppage time.
“The image that is being given is not the one we wanted”, chief organiser Jacques Lambert admitted just hours before hosts France face Romania at the Stade de France.
Two minutes later, he was out of position again on a cross and the unmarked Bogdan Stancu volleyed wide. “I can link-up with midfielders Paul and Blaise in particular, and we made good combinations”.
Rami looked scared, which did not help Koscielny – who is used to playing alongside the ultra-calm Varane – and it also unbalanced the team, with France playing around Rami rather than through him.
France entered the game – preceded by the tournament’s opening ceremony led by dancers performing to a remix of Edit Piaf’s La Vie En Rose and further songs played by leading DJ David Guetta – among the tournament’s favourites.
France has always been present in the EURO finals since missing out in 1988, an early end to the defense of the trophy they had lifted on home four years earlier.
In the 57th minute Payet sent a cross into the box, the Romanian keeper flapped weakly at the ball and Giroud headed it under the bar for his eighth goal in six internationals.
The match was destined to a draw till Payet scored with a superb long range shot in the 90th.
Patrice Evra clumsily and carelessly brought down Nicolae Stanciu in the area in the 65th minute, and from the resultant penalty, Stancu calmly finished beyond Lloris and into the bottom right to secure his first competitive worldwide goal since October 2014.
Payet was in a classic playmaker No. 10 role when Pogba was substituted with 15 minutes left.
Supporters of France wait to enter the stadium for the Euro 2016 Group A soccer match between France and Romania, at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, Friday, June 10, 2016.
Stancu earlier spurned clear chances in each half as Romania pressed the favored French hard.
Advertisement
That forced France into action and their best chance of the first 45 minutes fell to Antoine Griezmann, but the Atletico Madrid forward could only head against the post.
