Sports Weekend

Florin Orban, 09.10.2020, 12:06

Romania’s
national football team on Thursday failed to qualify to the 2020 European
Championship. Romania lost 2-1 to Iceland away from home in the semi-final
playoffs. Romania had a poor display of football in the first half, when Gylfi
Sigurdsson scored the two goals for Iceland, on minutes 16 and 34. At half time
coach Mirel Rădoi made three offensive substitutes, which evened the odds.
Romania scored on minute 63, Alexandru Maxim found the net from the penalty
mark. For the remainder of the game Romania posed however little threat to
Iceland. Our country thus misses another chance at performing in the European Championship
next year, which has special significance, considering National Arena stadium
in Bucharest will be hosting three matches in the group stage and on in the
round of 16. Iceland will next play Hungary in the deciding match on November
12 in Budapest. Romania will next play Norway in Nations League on October 11
away from home, then Austria on October 14 in Ploieşti.

12 Romanian
crews have enrolled in the European Rowing Championships hosted by Poznan,
Poland this weekend. The delegation comprises 45 athletes and 15 technical
staff. The finals are scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

This weekend
will see a new round of matches counting towards the women’s Champions League
in handball. On Saturday, in Group A, Romania’s vice-champions, CSM Bucharest,
will play Vipers Kristiansand of Norway away from home. Both teams have won the
first two fixtures in the group stage so far. CSM will not be able to field its
top player, Cristina Neagu, who has tested positive for COVID-19. On Sunday, in
Group B, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea was due to play Podravka Koprivnica of Croatia at
home, but the match has been postponed. The Romanian champions are at the
bottom of the group tables, with three defeats in three matches.

(Translated by
V. Palcu)