France 2, Romania 1
FRA: Giroud 57’, Payet 89’
ROM: Stancu 65’
Liberte, egalite, Dimitri Payet. Just as France’s opening night threatened to end in anti-climax, salvation came in the form of quality.
A rifled, rising 89th-minute shot from the playmaker secured victory. The man from the island of Reunion allowed a country to rejoice. He departed the Stade de France in tears of joy.
His was a strike of beauty, a moment that perhaps proved Didier Deschamps first very wrong and then very right.
As recently as March, the France manager complained the 29-year-old did not replicate his club form in international football. Astute analysis, motivational tool or, as Payet had described his omission from France squads, an “injustice”?
Whichever, three months later, the West Ham man started and starred, condemning Romania to defeat and positioning France to acquire the momentum tournament football often demands.
His renaissance as an international footballer indicated that Deschamps is open-minded enough to rethink his plans. His team was testament to the persuasive element of form upon selection. Payet and N’Golo Kante shone with such luminance for their clubs that each was shortlisted for the PFA Player of the Year awards and capped their debut years in England with a place in the France side. A year ago, neither was in the squad. Kante was not even close to it.
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Each was a reason why a midfield with zip and zest was much France’s most impressive department.
Kante snapped at heels, regaining possession seemingly at will. Payet lent quick footwork, expert delivery and imagination, fashioning opportunity after opportunity. Paul Pogba showed the passing range that separates him from lesser figures. He is the artist in the body of an athlete. It seemed bemusing that Deschamps substituted him; actually it permitted Payet to move from the left flank into a central role.
His fourth international goal, like the first three, came from long range. He can specialise in the spectacular.
France’s first competitive game for two years was always going to have a significance. The context – whether the terrorist attacks last November or the absence of a host of marquee names for a variety of reasons – increased it. France have not had to perform under pressure since the 2014 World Cup quarter-final. Under intense scrutiny, Payet responded.
Others did not. France were rescued by individual inspiration, not the fraternite of collective brilliance.
As Romania did enough to bely the suggestion they will prove the worst team in Euro 2016, France illustrated they have much to do to prove they are the best.
Until Payet struck, it seemed a very Olivier Giroud kind of occasion: it could have been worse, but it could have been better.
The target man scored, courtesy of Payet’s cross, but only after missing two earlier chances. He remains a man to polarise opinions, good but not great, with a respectable rather than remarkable goalscoring record. He is rarely celebrated for who he is, often damned for who he isn’t: Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain, past transfer targets to elude Arsene Wenger. He is propelled to prominence, by Wenger’s longstanding habit of buying midfielders – which may change if Jamie Vardy joins – and Karim Benzema’s suspension from international football.
Giroud’s band of doubters will require more convincing that he has the class to propel them to glory.
Indeed, France have to show they are ruthless enough in either box.
Seven minutes after Giroud struck, Patrice Evra’s needless trip on Nicolae Stanciu produced a penalty. Bogdan Stancu converted it with redemptive coolness. A more clinical finisher, however, might have been completing a hat-trick then. It took a magnificent save from Hugo Lloris to stop him giving Romania a fourth-minute lead. It took a glaring miss from the winger to preserve parity three minutes into the second period.
The hosts’ defence had stood motionless when Stancu’s near-namesake Stanciu chipped a pass over them. The question has been posed if a rearguard shorn of the services of five absent centre-backs will be their soft underbelly and their undoing. The early indications are that it could be.
Yet they have a wealth of talent in attacking areas, so much so that Hatem Ben Arfa, who had a stunning season himself, was omitted.
Unlike the Nice enigma, Payet won Deschamps over. And then he won France the game.
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