France 2 Romania 1: Dimitri Payet stunner gives hosts perfect start to Euro 2016

Mission accomplished by France, who blended slickness and jitters throughout but were uplifted at the last by Payet, their best player on the night and the scorer of a superb winning goal. That’s a nice start for the hosts to build on, even if plenty of improvement will be needed for them to win here on July 10.

The West Ham magician fired a 20-yard left-footer into the top corner before walking off in tears of joy to a standing ovation.

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud headed France in front in the 57th minute from a Payet cross after they had missed a host of chances against stubborn Romania.

But Bogdan Stancu’s penalty just eight minutes later made the hosts sweat in Saint-Denis.

The Romanians arrived having only ever won one group stage match – against England in 2000 when Phil Neville gave away a late penalty in Charleroi.

But they almost grabbed a shock early lead when Giroud headed a Nicolae Stanciu corner into his own box and Hugo Lloris stopped Stancu’s point-blank shot on the line.