RRI Sports Club

Florin Orban, 08.06.2022, 11:45

Romania also lost their second match in the current edition of the UEFA Nations League. They were defeated on Tuesday by Bosnia and Hertegovina 1-nil in Zenica. Smail Prevljak scored the only goal of the match on minute 68 after the Romanian goalkeeper Florin Niţă awkwardly defended a ball shot. According to the manager of the Romanian side Edward Iordănescu, the Romanian players conducted themselves better this time compared with the Saturdays match against Montenegro, which they lost. They were much more combative and more willing to put in the physical effort, and Romania would have deserved at least a draw, Iordănescu also said. Before the goal from Bosnia and Hertegovina, Romania missed three big chances to score, two of which from George Puşcaş and one from Andrei Burcă. After the hosts scored, Romania, while dominating the play and putting on a better performance overall, never created significant chances to equalize.

After losing nil-2 against Montenegro and nil-1 to Bosnia and Hertegovina, Romania are now in the bottom place of Group 3 in the Nations League second tier. Finland are in the lead, with 4 points, followed by Bosnia and Hertegovina, also with 4 points but lower goal difference. Montenegro are in third place with 3 points. Romania are next scheduled to play two matches at home, on the Rapid-Giuleşti stadium in Bucharest: first on Saturday, 11th June, against Finland, and then next Tuesday, 14th June, against Montenegro. To keep alive their hope of finishing in the top two places in the group, Romania have to win both of these matches.

Finally, let us just note that 100 years ago on 8th June 1922, Romanias national football side played their first international match. This was taking place in Belgrade, and the Romanian side defeated 2-1 the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, a state which in 1929 adopted the name Yugoslavia. (CM)