By Daily Sports on June 16, 2016

Antoine Griezmann headed a last-minute goal and Dmitri Payet struck in stoppage time to give Euro 2016 hosts France a 2-0 win over Albania and a place in the round of 16 on Wednesday.

European championship debutants Albania were agonisingly close to their first point in a major tournament until they left Griezmann unmarked to head in Adil Rami's cross in the 90th minute of the Group A match. Payet then finished off a counter-attack deep into stoppage time.

Both teams hit the post in the second half but apart from that struggled to create chances. France defender Bacary Sagna bundled the ball against the post of his own goal and Olivier Giroud headed against the woodwork at the other end.

The result left France with six points followed by Switzerland on four, Romania one and Albania none. Albania have yet to score a goal in the tournament.

Marek Hamsik set up the opener and came up with a contender for goal of the tournament as Slovakia beat Russia 2-1 in Lille on Wednesday to claim a first European Championship finals win.

Hamsik's pass released Vladimir Weiss to score in the 32nd minute at the Stade Pierre Mauroy and the Napoli star doubled the lead in style right on the stroke of half-time.

Russia pushed in the second half but were left with too much to do, even if Denis Glushakov got one back in the 80th minute to set up a grandstand finale.

The result allowed Jan Kozak's team to bounce back from the 2-1 defeat to Wales with which they started their Euro 2016 campaign and put pressure on their Group B rivals before England take on the Welsh in Lens on Thursday.

Russia prop up the group with one point from two matches and will surely now need to beat Wales in their final group game to keep their hopes of reaching the last 16 alive.

Switzerland were on the brink of the Euro 2016 last 16 on Wednesday after they salvaged a 1-1 draw against Romania in a lively Group A clash at the Parc des Princes.

The Swiss, who owe their point to Admir Mehmedi's second-half strike, have four points from two games while Romania have one after Bogdan Stancu opened the scoring in the first half.

•Culled fom supersports.com. Photo shows Payet in action against Albania

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 16, 2016

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