A reaction finally came in the 11th minute when Giroud’s header from a Payet cross went just wide. The two players most likely to do so were surely Juventus genius Paul Pogba and Atletico Madrid’s livewire forward Antoine Griezmann, the two biggest stars in the home team. A Romania team dotted with few names playing in Europe’s top leagues were not considered especially threatening, yet neutralised a potent France attack in a listless opening half. Payet also supplied the assist for Olivier Giroud’s opening goal and the way he strode across the pitch at Stade de France, imperious and elegant, made this a true masterclass.
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Chosen to start ahead of Anthony Martial, the West Ham playmaker’s performance should ensure that he is one of the first names of Didier Deschamps’ team sheet against Albania on Wednesday.
Giroud flashed a header just wide from Payet’s cross before Griezmann nodded a loose ball against the bar from a narrow angle.
His move was justified moments from time, when the midfielder struck his stunning victor, before being substituted in tears to a standing ovation.
West Ham’s player of the season, Dimitri Payet then rifled a strike into the top corner from the edge of the box, in the closing minutes of the game to bag all three points for the hosts.
The lead lasted only eight minutes.
There was an instant riposte from France as Payet found Giroud in the box but the Arsenal forward’s shot was tame and easy for Ciprian Tatarusanu.
Less than 10 minutes had passed when the crowd’s jubilation was silenced, after a clumsy tackle in the area from Patrice Evra gave Stancu the chance to redeem his early miss from the penalty spot, with the Romanian coolly finding the bottom corner.
In Pogba’s deeper role, his perfectly angled pass set right back Bacary Sagna free to cross and cause confusion that led to Griezmann’s header against the post in the 14th minute.
Before Stancu scored his penalty, he lacked composure when spurning clear chances in each half as Romania pressed the favored French hard.
Stancu would have opened the scoring in the fourth minute had France captain Hugo Lloris not produced a superb reflex save from point-blank range after a corner had been flicked on to the far post (4′). Striker Bogdan Stancu again had a great opportunity to score. Romania were arguably unlucky to lose, and can at least be consoled by the new tournament format.
France’s Adil Rami, left, and Romania’s Florin Andone challenge for the ball during 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.
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Having played only friendly matches since losing to Germany in the World Cup quarterfinals two years ago, France – although it did create chances – was second to the ball too often In a sloppy first half. It took Payet’s class to double that tally.
