France’s association with snails may soon be as much to do with their footballers as the chefs of Burgundy. As at the 2006 World Cup finals, Raymond Domenech’s team began a tournament they are fancied to win at a pace usually reserved for the country’s best-loved molluscs, hardly threatening the goal of a Romania side expected to be the also-rans in group C.

France recovered from a similarly torturous goalless draw in their opening match against Switzerland two years ago to reach the final, although a group made up of South Korea and Togo was hardly as daunting as one comprising Italy and Holland. The jeers from their fans last night indicate that faith in a repeat performance at Euro 2008 is limited, despite Domenech’s attempts to stay positive.

“We’ll find out after the three games whether a draw was a good result, but there’s a lot more we can do offensively,” he said. “Two years ago we started with two draws and still got through.”

Perhaps the only man satisfied with the outcome was Thierry Henry, who was left on the bench after complaining of a thigh strain, even if the main damage seemed to have been to his ego. The Barcelona forward suffered the indignity of being booed by his team’s fans at the Stade de France as he collected his 100th cap in a friendly against Colombia last week, but after this toothless display he is sure to return to face Holland on Friday.

Henry’s omission gave Nicolas Anelka an opportunity to prove his worth in his first appearance at a leading tournament since helping France to win Euro 2000, although, as has often been the case throughout his peripatetic career, he failed to take advantage. The Chelsea striker has failed to score in 23 matches since finding the back of the net at Fratton Park in February, a barren spell of such proportions that some at Stamford Bridge are questioning the wisdom of the £15 million fee paid for his services to Bolton Wanderers in January.

Anelka and Karim Benzema, the latest star graduate of French football’s jeunesse dorée, were starved of service as Romania gained a stranglehold over midfield. Claude Makelele was his busy self and more attacking than he is permitted to be at Chelsea, but the highly rated Jérémy Toulalan, of Lyons, was disappointing, with the injured Patrick Vieira badly missed.

The occasional glimpses of French flair were provided by Franck Ribéry, who demonstrated that the fact that he plays in the Bundesliga should not be used to malign his talents. The Bayern Munich midfield player is in a different league from Florent Malouda in terms of ability and attitude — another reason to question Chelsea’s transfer policy — and created France’s only chances of note, with his first-half shot deflected on to a post by Razvan Rat and his ball from the right side-footed straight at Bogdan Lobont, the goalkeeper, by Benzema. The Lyons forward should have scored.

Romania appeared more than happy to settle for a draw — their only real attacking idea was to launch long passes in the direction of the hesitant William Gallas in the France defence — with Grégory Coupet, the France goalkeeper, as bored as the rest of the spectators. If this is the group of death, it promises to be a slow and painful one as far as these teams are concerned.

Romania (4-3-3): B Lobont — C Contra, G Tamas, D Goian (sub: P Codrea, 63min), R Rat — R Cocis, M Radoi (sub: N Dica, 90), C Chivu — B Nicolita, D Niculae, A Mutu (N Marius, 78). Substitutes not used: M Popa, E Stancioiu, F Petre, C Marica, C Sapunaru, S Ghionea, C Moti, A Cristea, S Radu. Booked: Niculae, Contra, Goian.

France (4-4-2): G Coupet — W Sagnol, L Thuram, W Gallas, E Abidal — F Ribéry, C Makelele, J Toulalan, F Malouda — N Anelka (sub: B Gomis, 72), K Benzema (sub: S Nasri, 77). Substitutes not used: S Mandanda, S Frey, J-A Boumsong, P Vieira, S Govou, T Henry, P Evra, F Clerc, S Squillaci, L Diarra. Booked: Sagnol.

Referee: M E Mejuto González (Spain).