Brilliant Payet hits a stunner in Paris
SOME 137 days after the atrocities committed in their iconic city, Parisians reconvened for the football. Once more and, as supporters offered a reminder of sport’s unifying power, the players provided cause for optimism ahead of a home European Championship this summer.
This was the first France game at the national stadium since that dreadful Friday evening in November, when the city came under siege from terrorists and the stadium was targeted by three suicide bombers.
Football still hasn’t returned to normal in France. Nobody travelling to the Stade de France arrived free of anxiety, but still they came, still they sang their national anthem with visceral pride, as 65,000 filled this famous cathedral of sport.
The threat, however, remains and amid heightened security, with armed police monitoring the approaches to the stadium, the palpable tension was still there.
Two bag checks, thorough pat-downs, glances of uncertainty on the metro. Welcome to the new norm, where 1,300 security agents are mobilised around the stadium, where teams of snipers are in place.
For one night, though, Parisian defiance overcame the angst, a visage of solidarity vanquished any internal divisions within French society. This was an uplifting night for Paris, an uplifting night for France and indeed an uplifting night f or human courage.
On the field, positive tales emerged for France coach Didier Deschamps. One of this season’s most endearing characters inscribed another chapter into his fairytale.
Three years ago, N’Golo Kante toiled in France’s third division. Here in Saint-Denis, he was powering the French midfield, outshining his compatriot Paul Pogba and on his 25th birthday he capped his full debut with the opening goal.
On his first appearance at the Stade de France, Kante was at his biting best in the tackle and his usual jet-heeled self on the counter.
By June, he will surely be a Champions League player, he may well be a Premier League champion and on this evidence, should be a formidable part of France’s Euro 2016 squad.
His goal was coolly taken inside eight minutes, arriving at lung-busting speed to slot home after Andre-Pierre Gignac had combined with Antoine Griezmann. It was Gignac who doubled the lead just before half-time, stooping to head home Pogba’s free-kick. Russia, hospitable guests before the break, made it a contest after it as Aleksandr Kokorin guided the ball home from close range. But France responded, as West Ham’s Dimitri Payet added to his catalogue of free-kicks with a majestic 30-yard effort.
Yuri Zhirkov scored but this was France’s night and substitute Kingsley Co man confirmed the win with a fine left-footed strike late on.