France flourish for Lacazette and Payet

Domestically-based talent was at the forefront of a much-improved France display as Alexandre Lacazette and birthday boy Dimitri Payet helped dismantle Denmark in the first half in Saint-Etienne. Lacazette felt "liberated" after striking his first international goal to open the scoring in Sunday's 2-0 friendly win, while Payet was at the heart of everything good from the UEFA EURO 2016 hosts, admitting later it was one of the best showings of his 13 Les Bleus appearances.

Lacazette and Payet were among eight alterations coach Didier Deschamps made to the side that began Thursday's 3-1 loss to Brazil at the Stade de France. Deschamps changed his system too, opting for a 4-2-3-1 that allowed Payet – celebrating his 28th birthday – to excel in the No10 role he occupies at Olympique de Marseille. Lacazette, Ligue 1's 23-goal leading scorer this season as an out-and-out centre-forward, adapted adeptly to the wide attacking remit that recalled his younger days at Olympique Lyonnais.

With Antoine Griezmann, one of the survivors from the Brazil game, also flitting about to good effect, Denmark's defence did not know where to turn and all three players were involved in France's first goal. Lacazette pounced on the rebound after Griezmann – set up by Payet – had a shot parried by Kasper Schmeichel.

Lacazette speaks after the game©UEFA.com

"There's a lot of joy and I'm very proud. I feel liberated to have scored my first goal," said Lacazette, 23, after breaking his international duck at the sixth attempt. "It can only help me next time I play for my country. I don't know if I've scored points this evening – you'd have to ask the coach – but I scored a goal and that's a good thing."

Neither Lacazette nor Payet, the leading assists provider in Ligue 1, made the cut for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, though their EURO claims will be impossible for Deschamps to ignore if they can maintain their form.

Payet's priceless ability to influence a match in the final third, coupled with dead-ball prowess, was hardly a secret to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard as the midfielder starred for AS Saint-Étienne between 2007 and 2011. Payet admitted the familiar surroundings had helped: "It's a bit like being at home here and that allowed me to play with freedom. I got myself more involved in the attacks and performed my role better so I would say it's one of my best games for France. The atmosphere here is always something special, even more so now the stadium has been renovated and the stands are much closer to the pitch."

Visiting defender Simon Kjær conceded Denmark had been outplayed by a "great France team" before turning his attention to the situation in qualifying Group I. Denmark slipped off top spot following Portugal's triumph over Serbia, yet Kjær remains confident Morten Olsen's side will finish in the front two. He said: "I think Portugal and Albania winning is quite good for us. First of all we have to concentrate on ourselves and on our next qualifier against Serbia. We are in a very good position and the loss to France doesn't change anything in terms of us wanting to come back to this country for the European Championship."