Euro 2016: Group Results, Standings, Tables and Updated Schedule After Friday

France began UEFA Euro 2016 with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Romania at the Stade de France in Paris on Friday, with Dimitri Payet scoring the winner deep into the second half.

Payet's wonder-goal winner added to his assist for Olivier Giroud's opener, which was cancelled out when the lively and impressive Bogdan Stancu struck from the spot for Romania.

The host nation has now made a quick climb to the top of Group A ahead of Albania's meeting with Switzerland on Saturday. Here are the early group standings:

Teams	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Goal Difference	Points
France	1	1	0	0	1	3
Romania	1	0	0	1	-1	0
Albania	0	0	0	0	0	0
Switzerland	0	0	0	0	0	0

 For the full, upcoming schedule, visit the tournament's official site.

Recap

France struggled to assert themselves early on, with not enough composure shown when chances came their way. Both Giroud and Antoine Griezmann missed with headers in the first half, but it was Arsenal man Giroud who endured the brunt of the criticism.

Squawka detailed a host of disappointing statistics attributed to the No. 9:

While the French attack appeared blunted, Romania offered considerable menace. They twice might have taken the lead had Stancu not wasted an excellent opportunity in the early stages of each half, the first drawing a superb save from Hugo Lloris.

It wasn't until the second half that Giroud and France silenced their critics. The much-maligned striker nodded home the opener after a fine, deep cross from Payet.

For all the damning numbers attached to him in the first half, BBC Sport noted how Giroud's recent international goalscoring record is actually quite creditable:

Despite Giroud's moment of glory, Stancu was determined not to be denied his. He calmly stroked home the equaliser from the penalty spot after struggling left-back Patrice Evra made a clumsy decision in the box.

The game appeared to have slipped away from the French until Payet, one of the rare sources of inspiration all night, struck with barely a minute of the full 90 left.

His terrific, curling winner left Chelsea and Belgian star Eden Hazard suitably impressed:

Yet despite Payet's brilliance, the win may have been a little more the French merited. Their overall performance was stunted and too many big players didn't deliver, particularly forward Griezmann and midfielder Paul Pogba.

The latter was substituted inside the final 15 minutes after a tepid display best summed up by these average numbers from WhoScored.com:

Manager Didier Deschamps will need to iron out a few issues before his nation's next game against Albania next Wednesday. The defence appeared shaky, while the Pogba-led midfield was workmanlike rather than inspirational.