Sports News

Florin Orban, 03.09.2020, 10:44

The Romanian national football side
are facing Northern Ireland on Friday at home in their opening match at a new
edition of the UEFA Nations League. This is will be Romania’s first match with
Mirel Radoi as manager. Aged 39, Radoi was appointed manager of the national
side after taking Romania’s under-21 side all the way to the semifinals of the
European Championship held last year. After Northern Ireland Romania will next
play Austria away in Klagenfurt.

Radoi has capped 23 players for the two
matches, many of whom are playing abroad. There also players from the domestic
championship, namely three from Universitatea Craiova, two from FCSB, CFR Cluj and
Astra Giurgiu each and one from Viitorul Constanţa and Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe
each. Romania are also in the group with Norway.

Former Romanian international player
Adrian Mutu will also make his debut on Friday as manager of the Romanian
under-21 side. The young Romanian players will be facing Finland away in a
qualifying match for next year’s European Championship. Next Tuesday, on 8th
September, they will be playing Malta, also away. Mutu has capped mostly
players from the domestic championship and only three international players:
the defenders Andrei Raţiu from Den Haag and Radu Drăguşin from Juventus and
the midfielder Marius Marin from Pisa.

Romania are in qualifying group 8,
where Denmark are currently in leading position with 5 wins in 5 matches.
Romania are in second place with 3 wins, a draw and a defeat. Romania’s only
defeat came at the hands of Denmark, in an away match, but they will have the
chance to avenge that loss in November when they are scheduled to play Denmark at
home.