Euro 2016 opens with nervous French win
With France heading for disappointment, Dimitri Payet unleashed a sensational goal to rescue the European Championship hosts who claimed a 2-1 win over Romania in an emotional opening match.
With France heading for disappointment, Dimitri Payet unleashed a sensational goal to rescue the European Championship hosts who claimed a 2-1 win over Romania in an emotional opening match.
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France overcome pressure to win Euro 2016 opener
Paris, June 11, 2016, AFP – With France heading for disappointment, Dimitri Payet unleashed a sensational goal to rescue the European Championship hosts who claimed a 2-1 win over Romania in an emotional opening match.
In a packed Stade de France surrounded by thousands of police guarding against a repeat of the Novermber 13 attacks on Paris, coach Didier Deschamps said a nation's expectations had weighed heavily.
"The players felt it and that imposes obligations. Psychologically it was not easy to manage but we were rewarded" with the win, he said.
Germany, Spain, Italy, England and other rivals for the European title cannot have failed to notice France's frailties in defence and Payet's inspirational performance.
After a nervous start against a Romanian team with nothing to lose, the 29-year-old Payet, who only broke into the France team this year, provided the cross for Olivier Giroud to head France into the lead in the 57th minute.
Romania had defended stubbornly. Bogdan Stancu equalised from the penalty spot after a clumsy foul from Patrice Evra on Nicolae Stanciu.
France's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (2L) fails to stop a penalty during the Euro 2016 group A football match between France and Romania.
Payet then had to step in with a bending 25 metre strike in the 89th minute that brought tears even to the scorer as he left the field.
"It was a lot of stress, a lot of pressure, if someone had told me it would have gone like that I don't think I would have believed them," said Payet.
Yesterday's story
This picture taken from the Eiffel Tower on June 9, 2016 shows the Paris fan zone opening on the Champs de Mars one day before the start of the Euro 2016 football championship, in Paris. Security will be especially tight in the fan zones throughout the country with millions of fans in attendance each day. AFP PHOTO / ALAIN JOCARD
Earlier this week, we read about what you can expect in pre-match stories during Euro 2016. Today the sports news is full of such stories. Here is one on the opening match:
Football: France open Euro 2016 on a mission to lift national gloom
Paris, June 10, 2016, AFP – Didier Deschamps' France start the European Championship finals against Romania on Friday with the country plunged into strike chaos but among favourites to win the trophy.
Under a state of emergency since the November 13 Paris attacks and with strikes threatening rail travel and garbage collection, the nation is counting on the team to repeat the feats of the French sides that won Euro 84 and the 1998 World Cup on home soil.
World Cup holders Germany, defending champions Spain and England's wealthy young stars are all out to block Les Bleus however.
French coach Deschamps lifted the World Cup as captain 18 years ago and has assembled an exciting, young attacking side including Paul Pogba one of Europe's most wanted players.
"If you want to go far in the competition clearly you need to have great attacking potential," said Deschamps ahead of the Group A game at Stade de France from 1900 GMT.
France's head coach Didier Deschamps (C) looks on during a training session at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on June 9, 2016, on the eve of the beginning of the Euro 2016 European football championships football match against Romania. / AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE
"I picked these players. I know their qualities, there are players with different characteristics, we've been able to score a lot of goals and create a lot of problems for the opponents."
Despite Deschamps and France captain Hugo Lloris's attempts to dampen expectations, Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu put France out with the frontrunners.
France's midfielder Paul Pogba takes part in a training session at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on June 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE
"I think France have some terrifically talented players, all with top sides in the Champions League and it is a side worth hundreds of millions of Euros," said Iordanescu.
"Given the ability of their players I think France are one of the favourites for this tournament."
After France and Romania open proceedings, the newly expanded 24-team tournament kicks into gear with six games on a star-studded weekend.
England's prolific new strike partnership of Premier League top-scorer Harry Kane and Leicester City title winning hero Jamie Vardy will hope to outgun Russia in Marseille on Saturday.
The match has been designated high risk by French authorities.
Also in England's group Real Madrid's Gareth Bale will headline Wales' opener in their first appearance in a major championship since the 1958 World Cup.
They play Slovakia, also making their first appearance at the finals.
On Sunday, Germany open their campaign against Ukraine, and Bayern Munich's Polish striker Robert Lewandowski will aim to spoil Northern Ireland's Euros debut.
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