France 4-2 Russia: N'Golo Kante and Dimitri Payet among the scorers as Didier Deschamps' side seal victory in first home tie since Paris attacks 

Dimitri Payet had only been on the pitch a matter of moments when he stepped up to a dead ball in the 63rd minute of this game. It was nearly 37 yards from goal and firmly central.

This is Payet range. What happened next bordered on the inevitable. This was textbook Payet, the latest in a glorious catalogue of free-kick beauties. He sent it right-footed, sweeping with clinical curl and precision into the top right-hand corner of the Russian goal.

It was a stunning strike — a mirror image of the one that beat Manchester United’s David de Gea in the FA Cup — and the sheer majesty of his execution continues to draw gasps of awe from those watching on. 

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West Ham star Dimitri Payet restored's France's two-goal cushion with stunning free-kick late in the second-half  

Russia goalkeeper Juri Lodykin is powerless to prevent Payet's wonder striker from hitting the back of the net 

Leicester City midfielder N'Golo Kante fires France ahead in the eighth minute at the Stade de France 

On his full international debut for France, Kante celebrated his 25th birthday in style with an early strike in Paris 

The Foxes star put France 1-0 ahead on an emotionally-charged occasion in the French capital 

Kante is mobbed by his France team-mates after his early strike gave Didier Deschamps' side an early advantage 

André-Pierre Gignac doubles France's advantage just before the break after heading home Antoine Griezmann's cross 

Gignac salutes the French faithful inside the stadium as the French stormed into a 2-0 lead in Paris 

Gignac, who left Marseille to sign for Mexican side Tigres over the summer, celebrates his goal with team-mate Griezmann 

Alexander Kokorin (left) celebrates with this team-mates after his 56th-minute header makes it 2-1 at France HQ 

Kingsley Coman, who replaced Manchester United forward Anthony Martial at half-time, makes it 4-2 with a deft finish 

His former manager at Lille, Rudi Garcia, describes Payet as a 'pianist' in his set-piece approach - 'constant repetition and calm execution', he says - and Payet was once again in tune on Tuesday evening. 

For much of this season, Payet has been considered an outcast for the French set-up, a character who failed to deliver when previously handed opportunities.

Didier Deschamps, however, has awarded him a final chance and on his 29th birthday, Payet provided conclusive evidence of his talent and must surely have gone a long way to confirming his place in the squad for Euro 2016. It doesn’t get much better than this, surely. 

This was an evening of Premier League star turns. Leicester’s N’Golo Kante, awarded his full debut on what was also his 25th birthday, inscribed another chapter into his fairytale. Three years ago, he was toiling in France’s third division. Here in Saint-Denis, he powered the French midfield, outshining Paul Pogba and capping his debut with the opening goal.

Kante certainly impressed Deschamps, who said: ‘This is just the beginning. He is building on the momentum of what he has been doing with his club at international level. It’s good for him, and for the team.’

This was an uplifting occasion for France on an emotional evening. This was the first home game since that dreadful Friday evening last November, when their capital came under siege from terror attacks.

The threat remains, poignantly underlined by the solemn moment of silent reflection observed as the stadium paid tribute to last week's victims of yet more terrorist attacks in Brussels. 

The off-field spirit was reflected by a France performance brimming with joy and adventure, even if Deschamps may be a little concerned that his side contrived to concede two goals to a Russian outfit which contributed little by way of cohesive attacking play. 

Russia midfielder Oleg Shatov (right) looks to go past France and Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna 

France defender Raphael Varane shields the ball from Russia midfielder Aleksandr Golovin 

On his first appearance at France HQ, Kante was at his biting best in the tackle and his usual jet-heeled self on the counter-attack. 

By June, he will surely be a Champions League player, he may well be a Premier League champion and, on this evidence, he should be a formidable part of the France squad at Euro 2016. It is some story.

Amid heightened security, with armed police monitoring the approaches to the stadium, the palpable tension was still present. Two bag checks upon entering the stadium, thorough rub-downs, glances of uncertainty on the metro. Welcome to the new normal, where 1300 security agents are mobilised around the stadium, where teams of snipers are in place at all four corners of the stadium, where the elite police intervention unit, ‘RAID’, are put on stand-by to intervene inside the stadiums and on transport. 

Payet (right) and France team-mate N'Golo Kante celebrated turning a year older on Tuesday before the match

The French national team observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Brussels terror attacks prior to kick-off 

The Belgium flag is beamed on the big screen as the Stade de France goes silent to remember the victims of the Brussels terror attacks 

A heavy security presence keeps a close eye on the crowd as kick-off approaches 

For one evening, though, Parisian defiance overcame the angst, filling out the stadium and so this was an uplifting night for Paris, an uplifting night for France and indeed an uplifting night for human courage.

The spirit was reflected by a France performance brimming with adventure. Kante scoring inside eight minutes, arriving at lung-busting speed to slot home after Andre-Pierre Gignac had combined with Antoine Griezmann. Gignac, staking his claim in the absence of Karim Benzema, doubled the lead shortly before half-time with a glancing header. 

Russia briefly made it a contest in the second-half as Aleksandr Kokorin guided the ball home from close range but France swiftly responded, Payet whipping home the third. 

The visiting Russians also paid tribute to the victims of last week's terror attacks in the Belgian capital 

France President Francois Hollande (centre) watches on from the stands ahead of kick-off 

The France squad arrived at the stadium escorted by a heavy police presence prior to their friendly with Russia 

Football fans are checked by security personnel before entering the stadium before Tuesday's night's friendly at the Stade de France

Russia replied once more, as Yuri Zhirkov put the finishing touch to some intricate passing around the edge of the French penalty area.

The French, however, were by some distance the more enterprising side and restored the two-goal advantage their play deserve when Bayern Munich youngster Kingsley Coman confirmed the victory with a superbly executed fourth, bending a left-foot effort home.

Ultimately, this was to be France's night. The next time France play here, it will be the European Championships. It remains to be seen whether it will be France's summer.

Armed police were highly prominent inside and outside the stadium as security was ramped up ahead of the match 

Two armed police stand watch as France geared up for their first home game since the Paris terror attacks in November 

The Stade de France was targeted during the Paris terror attacks as France played Germany inside the stadium