“We had a bit of trouble letting our hair down, but we got our reward in the end”. While defending champions Spain are seeking to make it a hat-trick, World Champion Germany will be targeting a first Euro title in 20 years.
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Waiting for those who made it to their seats early enough was an opening ceremony celebrating French popular culture, with DJ David Guetta performing the tournament’s official anthem, high kicks from can-can dancers and aerobatics from the Patrouille de France jets.
“The players felt it and that imposes obligations”.
“It was hard to relax but it’s important to win the first match”.
Stancu latched onto a near-post flick and looked set to turn home from close range after just three minutes, but France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris denied the Romania forward with a reaction stop.
Even when Martial was introduced as France searched for the victor, Deschamps sacrificed star Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba to keep Payet in midfield from where his moment of magic decided the match.
First he hit the post with a header after Romania’s defense failed to clear the ball and then Griezmann fizzed a shot narrowly wide.
The expectation was that France would grow in confidence and extend their lead by continuing to expose Romania’s limitations – but the hosts were undermined by their vulnerable defence.
West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet, Newcastle United’s Moussa Sissoko and Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny revel in France’s win against Romania at the Euro 2016 finals.
Deschamps said he had no doubts over the inclusion of Payet and the impact he could have on the game.
After 57 minutes Giroud silenced his critics when he headed home from Payet’s cross after Romania keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu completely missed the ball as he jumped with the France striker.
The lead lasted only eight minutes. Midfielder Nicusor Stancu caught a ball in France’s box and was fell after a contact with veteran Patrice Evra.
Stancu finally got something right to send Lloris the wrong way from the spot.
Deschamps brought on Kingsley Coman and Anthony Martial as France went in search of their second, with midfield talisman Paul Pogba sacrificed.
The West Ham star apart, the hosts’ performance was unconvincing but, for the whole of the France, the result mattered far more. “I wouldn’t have thought at the start of the season that I’d be here, there was some pressure on arriving at the stadium but I came to enjoy myself”. However, the team managed to make a better match than anyone expected, which makes the fans wait confidently for the next matches against Switzerland and Albania.
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“If someone had told me that it was going to be like that tonight I don’t think I would have believed it”.
