Dimitri Payet curled home a trademark free-kick for France in their 3-2 win over Cameroon
Hammers superstar Dimitri Payet curled home an incredible last-minute 30-yard free-kick to win France’s friendly with Cameroon 3-2 on Monday night.
The Euro 2016 hosts were level in Nantes heading towards added time before the West Ham midfielder placed the ball down to the right of goal and found the back of the net with breathtaking accuracy from a tight angle.
It is the second free-kick Payet has scored in consecutive matches for Les Bleus, having converted an equally brilliant effort against Russia back in March.
The 29-year-old was of course one of the Premier League’s most-feared set-piece takers in 2015/16, and scored with magnificent free-kicks against Bournemouth and Crystal Palace as well as FA Cup strikes over Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United.
Blaise Matuidi opened the scoring after 20 minutes for the hosts of this summer’s tournament, which kicks off on 10 June, before Vincent Aboubakar equalised for the African nation just two minutes later.
Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud then restored Didier Deschamps’ side’s lead just before the break following a Paul Pogba cross, but Cameroon’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting thought he had spoiled the party two minutes from time.
However Payet had other ideas, placing the ball down 30-yards from the target on the right-hand side, before curling his effort into the far corner well beyond the reach of helpless Cameroon stopper Fabrice Ondoa.
France face Scotland in their final match before Euro 2016 on Saturday night, then take on Romania in the tournament’s opener in Paris.
*Video courtesy of French Football Federation.
The Euro 2016 hosts were level in Nantes heading towards added time before the West Ham midfielder placed the ball down to the right of goal and found the back of the net with breathtaking accuracy from a tight angle.
It is the second free-kick Payet has scored in consecutive matches for Les Bleus, having converted an equally brilliant effort against Russia back in March.
The 29-year-old was of course one of the Premier League’s most-feared set-piece takers in 2015/16, and scored with magnificent free-kicks against Bournemouth and Crystal Palace as well as FA Cup strikes over Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United.
Blaise Matuidi opened the scoring after 20 minutes for the hosts of this summer’s tournament, which kicks off on 10 June, before Vincent Aboubakar equalised for the African nation just two minutes later.
Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud then restored Didier Deschamps’ side’s lead just before the break following a Paul Pogba cross, but Cameroon’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting thought he had spoiled the party two minutes from time.
However Payet had other ideas, placing the ball down 30-yards from the target on the right-hand side, before curling his effort into the far corner well beyond the reach of helpless Cameroon stopper Fabrice Ondoa.
France face Scotland in their final match before Euro 2016 on Saturday night, then take on Romania in the tournament’s opener in Paris.
*Video courtesy of French Football Federation.