France vs Romania - Payet's moment in the sun

2-1




Headlines

FRANCE

·         The Player – Dimitri Payet
 
 It wasn’t just the goal, although that’s the moment that will stay down in the books, but he also made a fantastic cross for Giroud’s goal, and was the player that had the responsibility to create things, coming from the left to the middle.
 And then, of course, that fabulous strike, like so many he had in the Premier League this season. The first headline of the Euro’s is his, and fully deserved.

·         The Moment – 86 minutes and bang!
The stands were getting desperate. After almost 90 minutes, France had only been able to score a goal, in an offering from Tatarusanu, and that was only going to give them a point, with Evra giving away the most soft penalty of his career.
 And then N’Golo Kanté got the ball, and he saw Payet just behind 3 yellow shirts, with a little space. The Premier champion assisted his partner that controlled with his right, turned, and with all France helping, cracked his left foot to the top corner. A brilliant goal.

·         The Team

France started both halves in the same way. Allowing Romania the first opportunity, due to a miscommunication between Koscielny and Rami, see their nerves starting to grow, and then create a chance and the nerves die. In the second half they eventually scored, but Evra’s idiotic penalty – as was his exhibition - almost gave everything away. Deschamps should be disappointed with this first game, which was only rescued by Payet’s genius.


 

ROMANIA

·         The Player – Florin Andone

In a team where the collective matters the most, Florin Andone was chosen over Alibec for the striker position, and the Cordoba player did a fantastic job. It’s Andone that created both Romania’s chances in the first half, being very danegerous running to the near posts in the corners taken by Stanciu. Not only that, but he truly was Romania’s first defender, as he used his tenacity to disturb Koscielny and Rami. Was replaced when France scored, completely exhausted

·         The Moment - Stancu misses. Again!

 After forty-five minutes where Romania started well, creating chances, and limiting France to few chances, the teams came back from half-time and just after one minute, Stanciu got the ball, a rarity in this game. He held his head up high, and saw Stancu’s run, that he time brilliantily. Gençlerbirliği’s striker avoided the offside, controlled brilliantly in his chest and, with all the time in world, threw the chance away.
 It was the kind of chance you have to take, if don’t want to be surprised by someone’s brilliance. And Payet really is brilliant… 

·         The Team

It could have been the perfect start, but Romania was aware, from that Stancu’s chance that they could get something from the game.

Iordanescu’s team did a great game, playing with their line higher up the pitch, but still working all with the same intensity, and deserved much more from this opening match. They frustrated France, limiting the Bleu chances and creating some of their own. It was just impossible to stop that Payet’s screamer.

- FIL’S FINAL THOUGHTS

 France’s worst fears showed up right in the beginning when a miscommunication between Koscielny and Rami gave Romania a corner and a great chance. Lloris saved an impossible ball and the Romanians threatened again in the next set piece. This led to minutes of clear nerves from the French side that were only shaken away by Griezmann head against the post.

 The first half started frenetic, but after the Atletico’s striker chance the game resumed the expected pace, with France having a lot of the ball, but having trouble how to deal with it, and Romania putting their opponents under intense pressure, sometimes still in the French half.

 After half-time it felt like déja-vu, with Romania having a great chance to score by Stancu that missed horribly, and then French coming forward looking for the goal. Giroud got the goal, but Evra had a brain fart and gave away a penalty with no need for it.

 With the teams leveled, the pace of Romania pressing and seeming the more consistent unit, against a nervous and lacking solutions France, seemed to indicate that we’re going to have a surprise in the opening match. And then, out of nowhere, Payet got the ball, turned and BANG! A great goal that destroyed Iordanescu’s team.

 It was far from brilliant, for France, but at least they got the three points. Deschamps has a lot to think about for the next two games, as his team seemed nervous, with lack of fluidity to their play, with a lot of man in the center-left side of the attack, and a hole in the right.

 For Romania, it was a defeat, but the indication they gave were positive. If they can motivate themselves after the dramatic end to this game, they can a word for qualification.