Romania came from a goal behind to defeat Slovakia in the Cyprus Football
Association's International tournament in Larnaca. Romania began much
brighter but, against the run of play, Slovakia took the lead with their
first attack. Henrich Bencik played a pass into Robert Vittek, and his
shot wrong-footed Romanian defender Cristian Chivu and goalkeeper Bogdan
Lobonț to screw into the back of the net. Romania continued to dominate
the game but chances were few and far between. Dorinel Munteanu had
the best opportunities, both from long range and both requiring some
smart goalkeeping from Slovakian goalkeeper Juraj Bucek to keep his
team ahead. Munteanu finally found his way past Bucek in the 38th minute
as he worked his way through the middle of the pitch before unleashing
a shot from 35 metres to equalise. With five minutes to go before half-time
Munteanu turned provider. His corner caused havoc in the Slovakian penalty
area and a mistake by Bucek gave Ioan Ganea the chance to score from
close range. Romania dominated the second half, and captain Adrian Mutu
had excellent opportunities in the 64th and 89th minutes. Slovakia had
a solitary opportunity as Karol Kisel went close with a header from
ten metres. Romania will now meet Russia in the tournament final on
Thursday. Coach Anghel Iordănescu was pleased to have pulled off a win
with a slightly under-strength squad. He said: "Even before the
tournament, I had decided to use the best team in the match against
Slovakia, the team that I am going to use for the most part against
Denmark, in March. I didn't have a few players".
Romania 2-4 Russia [match report]
Russia clinched the Cyprus Football Association tournament with a comfortable
friendly victory against Romania in Nicosia today. The Russians had
qualified for the final of the four-team contest with a 1-0 win against
their Cypriot hosts yesterday. Romania made it through with a 2-1 victory
against Slovakia. Despite going a goal behind in today's first-ever
meeting of the sides, Valeri Gazzaev's men battled back and were deserved
winners. Gabriel Tamaș put the Romanians in front with a header from
Cristian Dancia's cross on eleven minutes but Russia fought back with
three goals in 12 minutes. First Florin Șoavă deflected a cross into
his own net on 29 minutes before 24-year-old Andrei Karayka made it
two five minutes later by connecting with a Rolan Gusev cross. Then,
with Romania hoping for half-time, Denis Evsikov found Andrei Arshavin
and he made no mistake to score his team's third in the 41st minute.
Gusev put the game beyond the Romanians with a 58th-minute penalty after
Dmitri Kilichenko was brought down. Anghel Iordănescu's men did close
the gap with a spot-kick of their own in the 70th minute, converted
by Ștefan Grigorie, but it failed to spark a Romanian revival. The tournament
triumph is a boost for Russia ahead of their next UEFA EURO 2004 group
qualifier in Albania on 29 March. Russia, with two wins from two in
the qualifiers, are second in the standings behind Switzerland but have
played a game less. Romania, second in Group 2, travel to third-placed
Denmark on the same day.
Romania 2-5 Denmark [match report]
This was an extraordinary match but one Romanian football will want
to forget. Beaten 5-2 at home in a game they could well have won, Romania
subsequently lost their coach when Anghel Iordanescu announced afterwards
he was quitting his post. The scoreline did not reflect a game that
for long periods Romania dominated, but a 45-metre effort and an own
goal summed up their luck in an extraordinary encounter. "I don't
remember seeing a game like this in my career," said the outgoing
Iordanescu, whose resignation was followed by the news that Gheorghe
Popescu and Iulian Filipescu have retired from the national team. Romania
led 1-0 and 2-1 but ended up suffering a second successive home defeat
in qualifying, as Denmark climbed to the top of Group 2 with their second
win of the campaign. Iordanescu, who felt his team had suffered "incredible
bad luck", said: "We've lost six vital points at home to Norway
and Denmark and I must assume my responsibility and the only logical
thing to do is step down." No one would have foreseen the post-match
turmoil when Romania's early pressure earned them a goal after just
five minutes. Vlad Munteanu curled in a free-kick from the right and
Adrian Mutu dived in to beat Thomas Sorensen. However, four minutes
later, Denmark surprisingly pulled level on a sandy National Stadium
pitch dubbed 'Copacabana' by the Bucharest press. Again the goal came
from a free-kick as Thomas Gravesen's right-footed centre reached the
head of Ebbe Sand. The striker's effort was saved by Bogdan Lobont,
but Dennis Rommedahl was first to the rebound with a strong, angled
shot. The home side could have fallen behind before the break when Jon
Dahl Tomasson delayed his shot in a one-on-one with Lobont and the goalkeeper
touched the ball away. Two minutes into the second period, however,
Romania made it 2-1. Mutu broke down the left, left two Danish defenders
for dead and cut the ball back to the onrushing Munteanu who made no
mistake with his powerful shot. Again, though, the lead did not last
long. After Lobont emerged from his box to clear from the advancing
Sand, Gravesen returned the ball with interest from 45 metres out. The
Everton FC player's outrageous lob curled into the net on a perfect
arc before the goalkeeper could recover. "It difficult to play
away to a team like Romania, we were lucky to equalise so soon both
times," said Denmark coach Morten Olsen, who admitted: "It
was a strange game." Despite this setback, Romania continued to
attack but Denmark's defence held firm and a two-minute spell brought
them victory. With 19 minutes left, substitute Morten Wieghorst sent
a high cross into the home box, Laurentiu Reghecampf attempted to head
the ball to Lobont but the alert Tomasson pounced to score. In the Danes'
next attack, Rommedahl sent a cross in from the left which was missed
by Tomasson but struck the luckless Cosmin Contra and deflected in.
Suddenly, the game was beyond Romania, despite good efforts from Mutu
and a shot narrowly wide by Ioan Ganea. Denmark salted the wound with
virtually the last kick of the game, Rommedahl playing a one-two with
Sand and chipping the goalkeeper to seal.
Lithuania 0-1 Romania [match report]
A goal from Florin Daniel Bratu proved enough for Romania to earn a
1-0 win away to Lithuania in tonight's international friendly in Kaunas.
The AFC Rapid București striker scored the only goal of the game three
minutes past the hour, escaping the attentions of the Lithuania defence
and steering his shot past goalkeeper Gintaras Stauce from close range.
Romania were always in control after taking the lead, and rarely looked
like letting their narrow advantage slip. Both sides created a number
of goalscoring opportunities in an open game. Dmitrijus Guscinas a
24th-minute substitute for Robertas Poskus went close to giving the
home side the lead six minutes before half-time, forcing Romania goalkeeper
Bogdan Lobonț into a sprawling save. Romania coach Anghel Iordănescu
will be hoping the win boosts his side, who currently lie in third place
in UEFA EURO 2004 Group 2. Romania have six points from their four
matches played so far, having won two and lost two, including a 7-0
away success in Luxembourg and a 5-2 reverse at home to Denmark. They
next face Bosnia-Herzegovina in Craiova on 7 June, having already defeated
the same opponents 3-0 away from home. In contrast, Lithuania are currently
second in Group 5, level on points with leaders Germany, although they
have played two games more, and above Scotland, who they defeated 1-0
on 2 April, on goal difference. Lithuania's five games have brought
them seven points. They next face Iceland on 11 June in Kaunas.
Romania 1-0 Bosnia [match report]
The win moved Anghel Iordanescu's side to within one point of the top
of the table following Denmark's 1-0 win against Norway, and means that
just a single point separates the top three sides. Romania have nine
points from their five games so far, and next face second-placed Norway
away on Wednesday. Bosnia's hopes, meanwhile, suffered a setback with
this result, and Blaz Sliškovic's team must wait until September for
the chance to repair the damage when they face Norway. The first half
was a tight affair, with the best chance falling to Ioan Ganea after
two minutes, but the VfB Stuttgart striker was unable to find the target.
The away side quickly responded through midfield player Mirko Hrgovic
whose volley forced a fine save from Bogdan Lobont five minutes later.
Romania made the breakthrough 20 seconds into the second period as Parma
AC striker Adrian Mutu, who was a threat throughout, took advantage
of some poor defending to open the scoring. The goal forced the visitors
to abandon their defensive style and push forward in search of an equaliser,
and Romania exploited the extra space in the closing stages as Ganea
scored the second goal two minutes from time with a long-range lob.
Iordanescu was pleased with his side's win, but insisted that the Norway
game would be the real test. "We played as if our lives depended
on it, but we got three points to accomplish half of our task over the
next few days," he said. "In the first half we were unable
to play our normal game because of the heat and our opponents. Under
such circumstances, this was a hard-fought victory. However, the most
difficult part is just beginning." His opposite number Sliškovic
was in philosophical mood after the game. "We came here for a point
and were close to achieving that but, unfortunately, we failed to get
a goal in the early stages," he said. "The game was heading
towards a 0-0 draw but we made a defensive error and allowed Romania
to open the scoring. Before the match I told my players that Adrian
Mutu and Ioan Ganea needed to be marked very tightly and they were not.
Romania were better than us in the final part of the match."
Norway 1-1 Romania [match report]
Ole Gunnar Solskjar stepped up to stroke the equaliser past Bogdan
Lobont from the spot after the Romanian captain, Cristian Chivu, was
penalised for handball in a crowded area as the home support in the
Ulleval stadium began to get restless. It was the only blot in Chivu's
copybook as he set about steering his side, lit up by Adrian Mutu's
fancy footwork, to what would have been an unexpected victory thanks
to Ioan Ganea's calmly taken 64th-minute goal. As it stands, a point
will do Romania's chances of qualifying no harm - but Norway have now
dropped five points in as many days after their 1-0 defeat against Denmark
at the weekend. Evidently desperate to return to winning ways, Norway
started brightly despite the heavy rain and almost found themsleves
ahead early on. Just six minutes had elapsed when Cosmin Contra conceded
a free-kick which was drilled in low and struck the left-hand post after
a clever touch from Solskjar before a relieved Lobont smothered the
loose ball. Employing a rapid attacking game utilising Solskjar's fast
breaks and the height of Valencia CF striker John Carew, Norway continued
to press but were denied by an organised Romania defence, marshalled
superbly by Chivu, whose brightest moment was an outstanding interception
as Solskjar seemed certain to turn in Carew's square pass on 13 minutes.
The best chance of the first half fell to the visitors when Mutu drilled
a pass across the face of goal only for Ganea to be denied at point-blank
range by Frode Olsen, the 35-year-old Norway goalkeeper. Two good opportunities
fell in Norway's direction as the interval approached. First John Arne
Riise stabbed the ball straight at Lobont from the edge of the area.
Then, in added time, the ball broke to Solskjar, whose powerful effort
drew a fine parry from Lobont. Romania's best spell followed the half-time
break and for 20 minutes they were the only side in contention. Daniel
Pancu went close with a 51st-minute header and then the goal came. Mutu
bravely set Ganea through and although he still had two defenders to
beat, Henning Berg and Ronny Johnsen contrived to let the striker muscle
his way through before watching on helplessly as he placed the ball
past the advancing Olsen. It seemed that might be enough but even after
the penalty which brought the equaliser, Chivu almost made amends when
he dived in to toe a low cross goalwards - but Olsen made a save to
ensure a share of the spoils. Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu said:
"We played well, especially in the second half, and dominated most
of the play. We were robbed." But Norway coach Nils Johan Semb
insisted: "We deserved to lead by the the break. They got a bit
lucky with their goal although we ran completely out of steam in the
second half."
Ukraine 0-2 Romania [match report]
The third match between Ukraine and Romania was won again by Romania
which has 1-0, 4-1 and tonight, 2-0. Romanian players had a very good
day, especially Mutu and Pancu, but also Chivu who annihilated completelly
the captain of Ukraine, Andri Shevchenko. We can say that Buryaks players
had just two opportunities (both from corners) in minutes 4 and 5, missed
by Serhi Fedorov. In minute 8, Alin Stoica passed very good on left
side to Razvan Raț, he crossed at Daniel Pancu who shooted powerful
in the right bar of Shovkovsky. The debutant Daniel Oprița profited
of a mistake of Ukraine defence and he was faulted in penalty area by
Popov, the referee showing the point from 11 metres. New star of Chelsea,
Mutu, transformed the penalty kick impeccable: Ukraine 0, Romania 1.
After the break, Ukraine didnt attack how Romanians expected and our
players had more dangerous actions. So, right defender of Dinamo, Flavius
Stoican, dribbled two opponents, the ball came at Adi Mutu and he shooted
powerful, without a chance for Ukrainean goalkeeper. Ukraine 0, Romania
2. In minute 67, the supporters of Ukraine became angry and started
to apostrophize their players. Even so, in minute 75, it heard loud
applause when on the field entered former player of Shakhtar Donetsk,
Marian Aliuță. In last minutes, Iordănescu prefered to conserve the
result, making more substitutes. We are hopeing that Romania will have
a day the same as today in preliminary European Championship match against
Denmark and "Abramovich", new nickname of Mutu, to be in the
same form.
Romania 4-0 Luxembourg [match report]
As it was expected, Romania defeated without emotions modest team of
Luxembourg. Coach Iordanescu started the match with veteran Dorinel
Munteanu as titular, he overthrowing the record of Gheorghe Popescu
(115 selections) and being on second place in all-time table of selections
at national team (leader is Gheorghe Hagi with 125 matches). Romanian
players dominated from the begining, but in first 15 minutes they didn't
have a good oportunity to score. Romanians asked a penalty kick in minute
16, when the shot of Pancu was diverted with hand by Reiter, but the
Israelian referee Yafet, let the play to continue. On 20 minutes Razvan
Rat had a shot turned on to the post by Luxembourg goalkeeper Alija
Besic. One minute later Munteanu crossed after a free kick from the
left side and Chivu headed, missing the post a little. In 39 minute,
Ganea entered in the penalty area from the right side, passed to Mutu
who, after a few feints, shooted powerful in the net of Luxembourg.
The "ice being broken", second goal came after 3 minutes;
Chivu passed to Pancu, who advanced a little and send a torpedo from
22 metres which stoped in the net of Alija Besic. In 43 minute, Mutu,
in the penalty area, crossed with head to Munteanu, he shooted but goalkeeper
diverted till Ganea and he scored very easy. After the break, Iordanescu
didn't want to risk anymore and replaced Mutu and Chivu with Bratu and
Soava. The 3 points were resolved and the match transformed in a training
with public. The guests could score a goal of honour in 65 minute, when
Braun, let free by Soava, headed the ball in the right post of Lobont,
who idled till then. With 12 minutes before final whistle, Ganea received
the ball in the penalty area, crossed with heel to Bratu, and new striker
of Galatasaray Istanbul defeated the fourth time goalkeeper Besic. No
yellow card, no injury, we took the 3 points, so, the "General"
executed his purpose. But will he win the final battle next Wednesday
with Denmark?
Denmark 2-2 Romania [match report]
The result does not guarantee Denmark qualification from Group 2, but
means they retain the leadership. Romania will now need to look to a
play-off to qualify for Portugal. It was a bitter blow for Anghel Iordanescu's
side, who wasted three golden chances to score a third goal in the closing
stages. The build up to the game was filled with expectation, as both
sides could still qualify as winners of the section. Denmark were buoyed
by the inclusion of star striker Jon Dahl Tomasson, who was soon causing
the visitors problems. On 12 minutes, many in the ground thought the
hosts had the lead as Niclas Jensen curled a powerful free-kick into
the sidenetting. The opening goal arrived in the 35th minute. With the
Romanian defence on the back foot, Adrian Iensci felled Tomasson in
the box. The AC Milan striker got up and took it himself, sending a
powerful right-footed spot-kick past the outstretched arms of Bogdan
Lobont. After the break, Romania took the game to their hosts in increasingly
cavalier fashion. Ioan Ganea missed the first chance on 53 minutes following
fine play from Razvan Rat. Soon after the excellent Crisitian Chivu
saw a thumping header blocked on the line by Niclas Jensen. On 62 minutes,
Romania levelled through Adrian Mutu. Florentin Dumitru's cross from
the right was deflected, but Mutu readjusted and chested the ball down.
He then turned and squeezed a shot past Thomas Sorensen at the near
post. Romania sensed victory and ten minutes later they took the lead.
Danish substitute Christian Poulsen's weak header fell straight to Daniel
Pancu, who controlled the ball before striking it low and hard beyond
Sorensen. Denmark's goalkeeper proved the hero in the closing stages
as he repeatedly denied Romania a third. With the hosts pushing forward
at every opportunity, gaps were left behind. Mutu, Florin Bratu and
Florin Cernat all had chances but could not beat Sorensen. They were
left to rue those misses, as, in the fifth minute of added time, Denmark
equalised. Niclas Jensen's cross from the left skimmed off the head
of Ebbe Sand to Laursen. The big defender controlled the ball before
poking it past the advancing goalkeeper for what could be a priceless
goal for Morten Olsen's team.
Romania 1-1 Japan [match report]
After national team of Romania lost qualification at EURO 2004, today
played a friendly match with Japan, but the hour when started the match
(13:15, to can be watched at Tokyo at a hour of maximum audience) made
to be present in tribunes just 3.000 fans. Among them, at official tribune,
were players from golden generation, like Gheorghe Hagi, Gheorghe Popescu,
Dan Petrescu, but also chairmans of Romanian Football Federation, Mircea
Sandu and of Football Professional League, Dumitru Dragomir. As it was
expected, times when Romania entertained with Japan had passed, the
Asians from today being much more powerful than 20 years ago, when Romanians
won with 4-1, 4-0 and 3-1 in friendly matches. The match started in
a slow rhythm, first oportunity having Japan, when, after a corner,
Lobont came out wrong at the cross. In minute 14, Ionel Ganea was fauled
at 16 metres, but Cristi Chivu shooted deplorable from free-kick. But
after two minutes, Adrian Mutu got a cross from right side, entered
in the penalty area and even he was pressed by Keisuke Tsuboi, he shooted
from angle, defeating goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi who thought the
star of Chelsea will cross. In minute 29, the Dinamovist Flavius Stoican
wanted to cross, the ball took a curious trajectory and just the sensational
reflex of Kawaguchi made that Japan not to receive the second goal.
Japan profited by relaxation of Romanians, and in minute 37, Shinji
Ono crossed from corner and defender Yuji Nakazawa sent the ball with
head, but the goal was saved by veteran Dorinel Munteanu. At this phase
Chivu was injuried, the player of AS Roma needing 3 minutes of medication.
In additional time, Razvan Rat made a superb race from left side, crossed,
and debutant Nicolae Dica shooted over the post. At the beginning of
second half, striker of Bursaspor, Ionel Ganea received a pass from
Dorinel Munteanu, entered in area but his shot wiped the post from left
of Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi. In 58 minute, the best player from the field,
Hidetoshi Nakata, passed brilliant in the penalty area to Atsushi Yanagisawa,
and striker of Sampdoria Genoa placed the ball behind Lobont... Romania-Japan
1-1. Obtaining the equalization, the Nipons were satisfied by the result
and let Romania to dominate. So, Mutu, from free-kick, shooted a little
beside the post. At a contraatack, Japan could scored by the same Atsushi
Yanagisawa, but Lobont stopped the ball. In minute 70, Daniel Pancu
got a pass in the area, dribbled two defenders and alone with goalkeeper,
shooted much over the post... With 6 minutes before the final, Nakata
passed to Yanagisawa and Lobont kicked the ball into corner. In minute
87, Andrei Cristea, midfielder of FCM Bacau, crossed in the penalty
area, the defenders erred, the ball got to Mutu, but he couldn't beat
Kawaguchi, who retained. Romania-Japonia ended 1-1, in a match not too
spectacular, but which brought the debute at national team of 3 new
players, all from Divizia A: Nicolae Marius Dica (FC Arges Pitesti,
the goalgetter of Divizia A), Andrei Cristea (FCM Bacau) and Ianis Alin
Zicu (Dinamo Bucharest). "The General" knows that for qualification
at World Championship from Germany 2006 the team needs "fresh blood"
and a match against stars like Nakata, Ono or Yanagisawa was an advantage
for young Romanian players.
Italy 1-0 Romania [match report]
Italy beats Romania 1-0 in the friendly match in
Ancona and, as the head coach Trapattoni had hoped, redeemed itself after
the 3-1 loss of Wednesday in Warsaw against Poland. Di Vaio scored the
winning goal on 58', allowing the National team to close 2003 with a win,
after having already qualified for the upcoming European Championships.
As in Poland, both teams went on the field with mourning bands on the
arms and observed a minute of silence in honor of the victims of Nassiriya.
Italy starter off well and after 1' of play Totti verticalized perfectly
for Cassano, stopped by the linesman for offsides . On 7' Romania tried
to attack with Bratu, but his right-footed shot went well over the crossbar
of the net defended by Toldo. The Azzurri responded immediately with two
occasions in two minutes (8' and 9'), first with Totti with a right-footed
shot and the Bazzani with a header that gave the Romanian goalkeeper Lobont
something to worry about. On 14' Mutu tried to put Toldo to the test with
a shot from far off, but the ex-forward of Parma sent the ball over the
crossbar, just like Bratu had done previously. Bazzani on 18' received
a pass from Totti and forces Lobont to make a low save. The team coached
by Trapattoni is back up front around half an hour into the first half
with Totti sending a pass off tot Zambrotta and closed up the wide triangle
with a shot that Lobont has a hard time saving, especially after Bazzani's
attempt to head the ball right after. On 37' another occasion for Italy:
Cassano stops the ball with his chest at the limit of the area, and without
letting the ball touch the ground, sends a right-footed shot just off
to the side of the Romanian net. This was the last occasion of the first
half that highlighted the good dribbling skills of Romania and an Italian
national team that seemed to spark up every time Totti touched the ball.
In the second half, Trapattoni wanted to give playing time to everyone
and so he starter the substitutions by sending in Di Vaio, Ambrosini and
Abbiati for Cassano, Tommasi and Toldo. Simone Inzaghi, Marchionni and
the newcomer Castellini went in shortly after substituting for Bazzani,
Panucci and Cannavaro. The Italian team maintain control of the situation
and on 58' goes ahead thanks to Marco Di Vaio, who, just on the edge of
being offsides, receives a millimeter pass from the right from Totti and
unleashes a shot that goes right into the net past Lobont. This was the
Juventus player's second goal with the National team in 10 matches played.
Romania does not want to lose and starts playing with a certain amount
of insistency near Abbiati. But once again Italy could have doubled the
score with Di Vaio, who all along in front of Lobont sends an assist to
Simone Inzaghi whose shot is saved by the Romanian goalkeeper. Shortly
after, Totti receives a standing ovation from the crowd in Ancon and leaves
the field substituted by Pirlo. And the Milan player comes close to scoring
on 74' with a strong, but central, shot after a good exchange with Simone
Inzaghi. Mutu almost ties the score with a free kick as the match came
to and end, but Abbiati made the save. Di Vaio then forced Lobont to save
with his feet and the match then ended with the Azzurri deservingly winning
their last official match of 2003.
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